Sevilla of Spain attacker, Kelechi Iheanacho has come out with a down-to-earth confession that playing football is not an easy endeavour, sports247.ng reports.
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Speaking against the backdrop of his poor form in recent matches with the Nigerian national team, and their loss at home to Rwanda on Monday, Iheanacho stressed that every match is difficult.
The product of Ade Football Academy in Owerri, Imo State went on to reason that the Eagles’ early qualification for the 2025 AFCON gave a false impression about difficulties the players face in top-flight matches.
Iheanacho added: “Generally, football is not easy. Anybody who says it’s easy may be thinking of a fake life.
“Because we cruised at the beginning of the qualifiers, maybe that’s why they think it was easy.
“The way we played and qualified early made it look easy, but there’s a lot of work to be done in training as well as in games.
“It’s when you are not at your peak or at your best, then it looks hard. People will then think this is a tough game.”
Although it was Rwanda that eventually ended Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, with a 2-1 win this past Monday in Uyo, Iheanacho reckoned that the toughest match for the Eagles was last Thursday’s 1-1 draw away to Benin Republic.
“The games against Benin were tricky, because the coach that is there was our coach before.
“There is a pattern and the way they play, which could give them an advantage over us; but we handled it well,” said the 28-year-old left footer, who is fondly called ‘Senior Man.’
Iheanacho, who previously played for Columbus Crew of USA as well as Manchester City and Leicester City of England, also admitted that AFCON 2025 will not be easy, but reassured Nigerian football fans that the Eagles are determined to win it.
“We cruised through and we qualified early, but it’s not easy. That’s why we are happy for the way it went and how we qualified.
“Hopefully, we’ll get another chance to get to the AFCON final again and win it this time, by God’s grace. But there is a lot of work to do there,” Iheanacho declared.
‘Kelele’ concluded with an insight into the motivation he and his teammates will have heading into AFCON 2025, top of which he believes will be the pain they had from losing the last final in Cote d’Ivoire.
“That we got to the last AFCON final is a very big motivation for us going to this one,” said the most valuable player at the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup, which he helped Nigeria win in United Arab Emirates.
“Our eyes will be red going to this one. We are already thinking that we need this cup back.
“It’s a big motivation for us, but it’s not going to be easy, because all other countries are coming for us, and they all also want to win it.
“So, we need a lot of work to be done,” concluded Iheanacho, who Eagles’ interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen said after the game against Rwanda is being distracted by criticism from insatiable Nigerian football fans.
