Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong has downplayed Zimbabwe’s financial incentives ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, insisting Nigeria remains focused on securing a vital win in Uyo.
Ahead of Tuesday’s clash, the Zimbabwean government has promised each player a $150,000 (approximately N300 million) reward for beating Nigeria.
However, Ekong made it clear that such incentives won’t influence the Super Eagles’ determination to continue their push for qualification.
Speaking at Kigali International Airport before the team’s departure on Saturday, Ekong emphasized Nigeria’s hunger to return to the World Cup stage, particularly after missing out on the 2022 edition in Qatar.
“We read somewhere that the Zimbabweans are being motivated to come to Uyo and get a result. They should forget it,” the CB stated.
Ekong, who played at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, stressed that most players in the squad have never experienced the tournament and are eager to make their mark on the global stage.
“We are hugely motivated by the ambition to play at the FIFA World Cup. Apart from myself, Alex (Iwobi), and perhaps a couple of others, who were part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, this generation is hungry to play at the highest level.
“We want to make Nigeria proud and at the same time, do ourselves proud,” he added.
The Super Eagles revived their qualification hopes with a 2-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, moving up to fourth in Group C with six points, one behind Rwanda and four adrift of leaders South Africa.
A win against Zimbabwe will take Nigeria to nine points, putting them in strong contention for the World Cup ticket, especially if South Africa and Benin Republic drop points in their clash in Abidjan.
