Former Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh has identified the Super Eagles’ defence as their major concern at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The former national team captain believes Nigeria’s shaky backline could be the only real obstacle to their ambition of lifting the continental title.
Eric Chelle’s side have conceded four goals in three matches at the tournament and are yet to record a clean sheet, raising concerns about their defensive solidity as the competition enters its decisive stages.
Speaking on Nigeria’s chances, Oliseh stressed the need for collective defensive responsibility across the team.
“If the Super Eagles are to lay claim as genuine title contenders, we must improve defensively,” Oliseh said.
“For defenders to defend well, they need support from the midfielders and attackers so that they are not left defending in isolation.”
Despite the concerns at the back, Oliseh expressed optimism, highlighting Nigeria’s attacking strength as a key advantage.
“One chance we have is that we possess one of the most potent attacking forces in the tournament,” he added.
“If we make the best use of it, don’t be surprised if you see Nigeria still standing on January 18.”
Nigeria remain among the contenders at AFCON 2025, but Oliseh believes tightening up defensively could be the difference between an early exit and continental glory.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
