Super Eagles adopt AFCON title winning mantra

Three-time champions Nigeria say they’ve adopted the catch-phrase ‘Let’s Do It Once more’ as their battlecry in direction of profitable a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title in Cote d’Ivoire early subsequent yr.

The proposition was tabled and unanimously endorsed earlier than the ultimate AFCON 2023 qualification match in opposition to the Falcons and True Parrots of Sao Tome and Principe in Uyo final month, and was the idea for gamers and officers donning a tee-shirt with the inscription after the match on the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. The Eagles received that match 6-0.

Nigeria received the 1980 AFCON that she hosted, and likewise received the 1994 version in Tunisia and the 2013 finals in South Africa. Workforce captain William Ekong says the enjoying employees and crew have taken to the brand new mantra like bees to honey.

“We just like the phrase as a result of it provides us confidence and the go-go push. We now have executed it earlier than so we are able to do it once more. Successful the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire is our objective and now we have the staff to just do that.”

Defender Kenneth Omeruo added: “I go searching and I see gamers who’ve the capability to make it occur. We’re all formidable. The staff is a mix of previous and clever heads and thrilling new abilities. We are going to go for the trophy in Cote d’Ivoire.”

The tune continues on Friday when the Tremendous Eagles tackle Saudi Arabia in a pleasant sport on the Estadio Municipal de Portimão in Portugal, with the majority of the squad that blew away Sao Tome and Principe on floor.

It’s only the second time each international locations shall be clashing at senior worldwide degree. The one earlier encounter was additionally a pleasant, performed within the Alpenstadion, Wattens in Austria on twenty fifth Could 2010 as a part of remaining preparations for the Eagles for the FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa. Nwankwo Kanu, considered one of solely two gamers to have featured for Nigeria at three completely different editions of the FIFA World Cup, captained the Tremendous Eagles in that scoreless encounter.

By the way, present Tremendous Eagles’ Head Coach, Jose Peseiro, was Coach of Saudi Arabia that day.

The Eagles have one other pleasant encounter on Monday, in opposition to the Mambas of Mozambique on the similar venue, earlier than 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in opposition to Lesotho and Zimbabwe in November.

NFF Communication Division