Connect with us

National Teams

Aliyu Zubairu eyes fresh talent to bolster Flying Eagles for FIFA U-20 World Cup

Published

on

Aliyu Zubairu eyes fresh talent to bolster Flying Eagles for FIFA U-20 World Cup

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria’s head coach Aliyu Zubairu has revealed plans to inject new talent into the squad ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, as Nigeria looks to address key shortcomings identified during the recent U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The Flying Eagles struggled with goal conversion during the continental tournament, prompting Zubairu to focus on reinforcing all departments with new call-ups.

“We’ll be inviting more players to bolster all departments,” Zubairu said in an interview with Kwara SWAN.

“We must fix the issues we saw at the AFCON, especially our finishing.”

The former Niger Tornadoes and current El-Kanemi Warriors coach emphasized the importance of managing expectations as the World Cup draws closer.

“Though we narrowly missed the AFCON title, qualifying for the World Cup is a huge achievement. Now, we must look ahead and do even better,” he added.

Zubairu also expressed his ambition to exceed Nigeria’s best-ever performance at the U-20 World Cup—reaching the final under Samson Siasia in 2005.

Reflecting on El-Kanemi Warriors’ underwhelming 2024/25 NPFL season, he attributed their struggles to mid-season squad changes and the departure of two key players to European clubs.

Despite the challenges, Zubairu remains optimistic about the future of Nigerian football.

He also took a moment to wish Kwara United FC success in the upcoming President Federation Cup final set for June 28 in Lagos.

“Kwara United has what it takes to emerge champions. I wish them all the best,” he said.

author avatar
Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
Continue Reading
.

Mobile applications

Our mobile app is optimized for your phone. Download it for free!

Connect With Us

© 2025, nigeriafootball | All Rights Reserved.