Players in Nigeria’s national team are already looking beyond Monday’s last match in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, as they set their minds on winning the championship proper next year.
Sports247.ng reports that Monday’s match at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo is inconsequential for the Super Eagles, as they have already qualified for the continental showpiece that is billed to run from December 2025 to January 2026 in Morocco.
Having narrowly missed the title earlier this year, when they lost the final 2-1 to hosts Cote d’Ivoire, who they beat 1-0 during the group stage, the Nigerian players are now looking towards a fourth conquest of Africa when the chips come down next year in Morocco.
Sports247.ng gathered that this was made known by Leicester City of England midfielder, Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi, who opined that the current quality of players in the Nigerian national team is good enough to win AFCON 2025.
Ndidi began by exuding sheer delight with the Eagles’ qualification, following Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Benin Republic and Lybia’s 1-0 win away to Rwanda.
“It feels amazing,” said the former Nath Boys of Lagos and Racing Genk of Belgium centre-back-turned-defensive-midfielder.
“Every team wants to qualify, but we got it first. We did great. We did amazing. We are unbeaten in the games and one to go.
“It’s a proud moment, and congratulations to us. It’s not easy, and not everyone will qualify for the AFCON. It’s a big thing we’ve achieved,” Ndidi eulogised.
He shot a look back at the race so far and conceded that their third match, a home game that ended with a tight 1-0 victory over Lybia in Uyo, was the Eagles’ toughest en route to picking the ticket.
“One of the hardest games for us was the one versus Lybia.
“Physically, it was not difficult, but mentally, it was tough. We faced their tactics, delays and all that.
“I would have said that the last game versus Benin Republic was the toughest, but we knew what to expect from them.
“We knew they are like a physical team, and we knew what to expect. On the other hand, the Lybian game was draining mentally.
“So, I’ll say the game against Lybia was the toughest for us in these qualifiers,” Ndidi posited.
He then turned his comments on expectations from the next AFCON in Morocco, and reckoned that the current array of top rated players in the Eagles makes them favourites to win the title.
“This is a great team. We’ve seen great performances from a couple of players that are amazing.
“Top, top, top players who are also doing amazing things in their various clubs.
“We, as Nigerian players, we know we are up for it. We know the quality we have in the team.
“So, we believe we can win the next Nations Cup. Why not?” Ndidi concluded rhetorically.
He also echoed words of Eagles’ interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, who stressed that, though they have already qualified, he and his players want to end the qualification campaign unbeaten.
That should raise an iota of hope for their teeming fans that they will not be so lackadaisical as to lose Monday’s match in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
