Nigeria captain Wilfred Ndidi has insisted that Nigeria are taking nothing for granted ahead of Monday’s Round of 16 clash against Mozambique at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, stressing that the focus remains firmly on the immediate task rather than looking too far ahead in the tournament.
Speaking at Sunday’s pre-match press conference, the midfielder made it clear that the Eagles are not distracted by thoughts of the quarter-finals, but are instead concentrating on executing their game plan against a dangerous Mozambican side.
Mozambique qualified for the knockout phase as one of the best third-placed teams, recording one win and two defeats during the group stage. Monday’s encounter will mark only the second AFCON meeting between the two nations, following their first clash at the 2010 tournament.
Ndidi described the Mambas as a team that deserves respect and should not be underestimated.
“They are a very good team. They want to play, they are very aggressive, and they play like a team,” Ndidi said.
“We have watched them and seen their group-stage games. We know they fight. But the main focus is about us — how we approach the game and how we want to play.
“So we just focus on the match. They are a very good team, and no team in this tournament should be underrated.”
Nigeria go into the Round of 16 on the back of an impressive group-stage campaign, but Ndidi’s comments underline the cautious mindset within the Super Eagles camp as they look to avoid complacency and maintain their push for continental glory.
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.
