Amir Ghalenoei has acknowledged the quality and superiority of the Nigeria’s senior men’s national team following his side’s 2–1 defeat in an international friendly in Antalya.
Nigeria secured the win against the Iran national football team, with the encounter serving as a competitive test for both teams as they continue preparations for future competitions.
Despite the loss, Ghalenoei praised the strength and physicality of the Nigerian side, noting that the game provided an opportunity for his team to explore tactical alternatives.
“I think this was a very useful preparation game, especially since we were able to implement Plan B in defense against a strong and physical team like Nigeria,” he said.
The Iranian tactician also highlighted the pedigree of the Nigerian squad, pointing to the calibre of players competing across top European leagues.
“Nigeria is a very good team, and all eleven players in this squad are active in major European leagues such as Spain, Italy, England, France, Greece, and Turkey,” he added.
The friendly forms part of both teams’ build-up to upcoming international engagements, with Nigeria taking positives from the victory while Iran continue refining their squad.
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.
