AS AFCON BEGINS IN MOROCCO…
It is an opportunity for the Super Eagles to redeem their image
As the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) kicks off today in Morocco featuring 24 countries, the tournament highlights how football remains a powerful and unifying force. Held biannually since inception in 1957, AfCON has been used to celebrate the continent while offering a purely African content to what is universally recognised as the ‘beautiful game’. We therefore hope that this tournament, like the previous ones, will offer quality entertainment. After failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this tournament also presents another opportunity for the Super Eagles to redeem themselves by giving Nigerians something to cheer at the end.
Nigeria has won the trophy three times (1980, 1994 and 2013) and narrowly lost the last edition in Côte d’Ivoire in the final against the host nation. That Silver was the fifth that the Super Eagles would pick up in the tournament after similarly been beaten in four previous finals: Same Abidjan in 1984, Maroc ‘88, Algiers ‘90 and Lagos, 2000. The Super Eagles have also won bronze on eight occasions in 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2019. But perhaps the biggest reason why all eyes are on the Super Eagles is the absence of Nigeria from the 2026 global football fiesta. Missing two World Cups back-to-back have become very bitter pills for Nigerian fans to swallow.
After the Super Eagles failed against Ghana in Abuja to qualify for Qatar 2022 World Cup, nobody expected Nigerians to once again return to the heartache of becoming onlookers in a global football showpiece, given the talents that abound in the country. But it has happened again this year, despite the lifeline provided with the deduction of points from Benin Republic. Besides, after finishing as runners up in the 2023 AfCON tournament in Côte d’Ivoire, winning the trophy in Morocco should be the ideal thing. It is perhaps the only thing that can pacify Nigerians whose country will not be going to the USA, Canada and Mexico for the 2026 Mundial.
The Super Eagles will start their campaign against Taifa Stars of Tanzania on Tuesday in Fes, the Moroccan City. They will play their next clash with Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles before concluding the Group C games with the Cranes of Uganda. The players cannot afford to underrate both Tanzania and Uganda because of their lower rankings in continental football. They must take lessons from how Benin Republic, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Lesotho outshone them during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. Tunisia may be ranked 40th, two steps below Nigeria, but the Carthage Eagles are ambitious and want another victory since winning at home in 2004.
Uganda, on the other hand, have their Belgian Coach, Paul Put as bedrock. He’s vastly experienced in African football having also coached other teams in the continent. While they may not have achieved anything since finishing as runners up in 1978, the Ugandan Cranes proved during the World Cup qualifiers that they are no pushovers. After finishing behind South Africa as runners up in their AfCON qualifiers, the Cranes are hoping to recapture past glory in African football. Same for the Tanzanians whose resilience saw them finish behind DR Congo on the road to this tournament.
The special place of AfCON in the international football calendar is quite unique. The tournament predates the Euro-Championship and is reputed for yielding the stage to some of the best players that showcase their trade all over the world. While we implore the Super Eagles to make our country proud at the tournament, it is noteworthy that of all affiliated members of international football association that participate in all FIFA and CAF organised tournaments, our country is always the object of ridicule before, during and after most tournaments because of the way the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) conducts their affairs. In the management of travels, accommodation and match bonus, everything must be done to avert another emblem of shame this time.
For the players, the greatest honour is to defend the Nigerian national flag on behalf of millions of their compatriots. We wish the Super Eagles the best in Morocco.
