Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has opened up on the disappointment of Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, describing it as a painful experience, but insists the team is fully focused on making amends at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Besiktas star spoke on Friday during a pre-match press conference ahead of Nigeria’s crucial Group C encounter against Tunisia, stressing that the squad is not weighed down by pressure despite past setbacks.
“There is no pressure on us at all,” Ndidi said.
“We didn’t qualify for the World Cup and it was a painful exit, but we are ready for this tournament.”
The experienced midfielder described AFCON 2025 as a fresh opportunity for the Super Eagles to restore pride and compete for silverware on the continental stage.
“This is another opportunity to correct the wrong and achieve something,” he added.
Nigeria head into the clash with Tunisia determined to build on their opening group victory as they continue their quest for continental glory at AFCON 2025, with Ndidi’s leadership expected to be key in the midfield battle against the North Africans.
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.
