Flying Eagles head coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has set an ambitious goal for Nigeria’s U-20 team ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled to take place in Chile.
According to Zubairu, the team’s primary objective is to at least match, and ideally surpass, Nigeria’s previous best performances by reaching the final of the global tournament.
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“We’ve been to the final twice before—1989 and 2005—so our ambition this time is to go beyond that and actually win it,” Zubairu said confidently. He emphasized that while the challenge is great, the team has the quality, mindset, and drive required to compete at the highest level.
The coach highlighted several key areas of focus in the team’s preparation, particularly the need to improve goal conversion. “We’ve identified that finishing has been a weakness in our past games. We are working hard to fix that and bring more composure in front of goal,” he said.
Zubairu also noted that the Flying Eagles’ build-up to the tournament will involve several friendly matches and regional competitions, including a planned participation in the WAFU Invitational Tournament in Ghana. These games, he said, will help the team develop chemistry and test tactical approaches against strong opponents.
He called for support from Nigerians, urging fans, stakeholders, and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to rally behind the squad. “We’re representing over 200 million people. With the right support, we can go far,” he added.
Zubairu concluded by reiterating his belief in the squad’s potential. “This generation has the hunger and talent. It’s up to us, as coaches and leaders, to guide them properly. The World Cup is a big stage, but we’re preparing to make Nigeria proud.”
