Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong has emphasized that the current squad will only be truly recognized if they secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and win the AFCON.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Nigeria’s clash against Zimbabwe, the CB expressed confidence in the squad’s ability.
“We have players that are very ambitious and among private discussions we’ve had we touched on the meaning of being at the World Cup.
“I have so much to say about this generation of players I think we have something very special here and we need to be validated by being at the World Cup and winning an AFCON.”
The current Super Eagles squad is widely regarded as one of the most talented in Africa. However, their journey to success on the international stage has been filled with near misses.
At the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria reached the final but fell short, losing 2-1 to the hosts.
Similarly, they came agonizingly close to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but lost the ticket to Ghana in the playoff round.
He also acknowledged the team’s restart to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
“We were very happy with our start but now we are very focused on the game tomorrow against Zimbabwe.
“As we’ve learnt over the years there’s no such thing as easy games in Africa qualifications,” the CB admitted.
“They (Zimbabwe) are very motivated, but, I know that being here in Uyo is an advantage for us. So, we are preparing as we have done, but all hand’s on deck.”
