THE Super Eagles of Nigeria are confident they can win their fourth Africa Cup of Nations title in Cote d’Ivoire next January and February.
The last time the Nigerian side won the biggest sports trophy on the continent was 10 years ago in South Africa, and they believe they are good enough to do it again in early 2024.
The team adopted ‘Let’s do it again’ as the slogan for next year’s tournament before their final qualifying match against Sao Tome and Principe in Uyo last month.
The players and team officials then wore T-shirts with the inscription after the match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, which they won 6-0.
Nigeria secured their first AFCON title as hosts in 1980 and repeated the feat in 1994 in Tunisia, before adding the third title in 2013 in South Africa.
Team captain William Ekong says the squad will work towards achieving the aim contained in the slogan.
“We like the phrase because it gives us confidence and the go-go push. We have done it before so we can do it again. Winning the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire is our goal and we have the team to do just that,” the Greece-based centre-back said.
Kenneth Omeruo, who was in the 2013 squad and played a key role, added: “I look around and I see players who have the capacity to make it happen. We are all ambitious. The team is a blend of old and wise heads and exciting new talents. We will go for the trophy in Cote d’Ivoire.”
With the World Cup qualifiers and 2023 AFCON in mind, the Super Eagles will on Friday take on Saudi Arabia in a friendly match at the Estadio Municipal de Portimão in Portugal, with the bulk of the squad that thrashed Sao Tome and Principe involved.
It is only the second time both countries will be clashing at senior level, and the only previous encounter was also a friendly in Wattens, Austria in 2010 as part of final preparations for the World Cup in South Africa.
Nwankwo Kanu, one of only two players to have featured for Nigeria at three different editions of the FIFA World Cup, captained the Super Eagles in the game that ended 0-0.
Incidentally, current Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro handled Saudi Arabia that day.
The Eagles have another friendly on Monday against Mozambique at the same venue, before 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in November.
