Golden Eaglets face test as Manu Garba leads fresh task for U17 AFCON qualification

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will need to summon both grit and ingenuity as they begin their quest to qualify for the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire, with experienced tactician Manu Garba tasked with reviving the fortunes of the country’s most successful youth team.

The five-time world champions missed out on last year’s edition after a disappointing third-place finish at the WAFU B qualifiers in Ghana.

That setback denied them a ticket to the continental showpiece and exposed glaring weaknesses in creativity and finishing. Now, Garba — who masterminded Nigeria’s triumphant U17 World Cup campaign in 2013 — has been recalled to restore both pride and pedigree.

The current squad, however, presents a different profile. In their final tune-up game against Abuja-based Mop Stars Academy, the Eaglets showed strength in transition play and physical dominance but struggled to unlock a compact defensive unit.

Goalscoring remains a concern, with the team relying heavily on wing play and lacking a natural finisher to lead the line.

Their physicality could prove vital in group-stage battles against rugged opponents Burkina Faso and Benin, but questions remain over whether Garba’s boys can reproduce the trademark fluid passing game that has long defined Nigeria’s youth sides. Without greater invention in the final third, their campaign may hinge on resilience rather than flair.

Former international and youth coach Sani Babangida, who has closely monitored the team’s progress, delivered a frank verdict on their readiness.

“They are an ordinary team — you can count on your little fingers the special players they parade. They will certainly have to do a lot more at the U17 AFCON qualifiers to prove many of us wrong,” he warned.

With the qualifiers promising stern tests, the Golden Eaglets face a defining challenge: rediscovering the creative spark that once made them the continent’s most feared youth team.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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