Nigeria draw Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Norway in FIFA U-20 World Cup Group F

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group F of the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, where they will face Colombia, Saudi Arabia, and Norway.

Head coach Aliyu Zubairu has expressed optimism about the group and Nigeria’s chances at the tournament.

“My thoughts about the draw are positive. It’s very good that Nigeria is one of the countries participating in the World Cup proper,” Zubairu said following the draw.

The coach described Nigeria’s qualification as a reflection of the nation’s strong football culture, and emphasized that the priority is to compete at a high level.

He noted that lessons learned from the team’s performance at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt will guide their preparations.

“We will fortify the team in all departments before the World Cup, particularly in attack, by bringing in players who will be more clinical in front of goal,” he said.

Zubairu outlined his vision for a team built around possession, high intensity, and tactical discipline.

“We are going to prepare a team that can play with higher possession and intensity, transform possession into goals, and defend effectively,” he stated.

The Flying Eagles have twice reached the final of the U-20 World Cup, and Zubairu is confident the current squad can go one step further.

“There’s nothing like a group of death or an easy group. It’s the level of preparation that makes the difference,” he added, downplaying the difficulty of the draw.

As part of their build-up, the Flying Eagles will participate in the WAFU Invitational Tournament in Ghana this June. Zubairu called on Nigerians to support the team as they prepare to represent the nation on the global stage.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup will be held in Chile from September 27 to October 19.