By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Former Ivory Coast international Salomon Kalou has advised the Super Eagles to avoid facing the Elephants if they hope to win the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Speaking on SuperSport Football alongside Nigeria’s goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, Kalou reflected on the challenges awaiting Nigeria as they chase a fourth continental title.
“They have to avoid Ivory Coast,” Kalou said with a smile. “For Nigeria to win, they need to avoid us. It’s a great feeling to win, especially at home — in front of your people, in a full stadium. No feeling can beat that.”
Kalou, a 2015 AFCON champion and 2012 finalist with the Elephants, also highlighted the pride of representing one’s country.
“You can ask any player who plays at a high level — winning for your country is something different. It doesn’t compare to winning for your club,” he added.
The former Chelsea forward described Ivory Coast as one of the toughest opponents in African football, noting their status as defending champions after defeating Nigeria in the final of the last AFCON to claim their third continental title.
Nigeria, meanwhile, will be aiming to end their decade-long wait for another AFCON trophy when the tournament begins next year in Morocco.
The Super Eagles will also be juggling 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification commitments this month — a dual test of depth and consistency for Finidi George’s side.
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.
