AFCON 2023: Nigeria Legend Tijani Babangida Sends Warning to Super Eagles Ahead of Tournament

• Nigeria are favourites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
• Super Eagles legend feels the 2013 AFCON champions need to be wary
• Nigeria have struggled to produce results in their last few games

Nigeria head into the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations as favourites, but things haven't been easy for the Super Eagles in the past tournaments

The country's football legend, Tijani Babangida, has sent a reality check to the team as they prepare for the 34th edition of AFCON.

A decade ago, Nigeria won their 3rd AFCON title after beating Burkina Faso in the final.

In the following years, they struggled to perform in the tournaments and even failed to qualify for some of them (2015, 2017). They were eliminated by Tunisia in the Round of 16 by Tunisia in the last edition, per CAF.

Okocha unsure Super Eagles may qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Football

This time around, they have a fearsome attacking group spearheaded by African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen and Bayer Leverkusen star Victor Boniface. So, most neutrals will expect him to go all the way.

However, like always, things won't be easy. Morocco, Senegal, host Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt and Ghana are also solid teams.

Tijani Babangida warn Nigeria

The Super Eagles haven't impressed in their last few games, and it has angered most Nigerian fans. Babangida says there are no pushovers in African football.

“But in today’s football, you can see that the Super Eagles struggle with counties in the size of Niger Republic, they are no more pushovers,"via the Guardian.

He added that things have changed drastically while sending a warning to the Super Eagles.

“Whenever the Super Eagles play these days, I do see their lapses sometimes, we can see that the game in Africa and the world has changed,”

Okocha Explains Why Super Eagles Should Not Focus on South Africa Rivalry in World Cup Qualifiers

Football

“So, you cannot just give our country anything to think that the Nations Cup is a playground."

Adepoju backs Super Eagles for AFCON

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Ex-Nigeria international Mutiu Adepoju has approved the Super Eagles' final 25-man list for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and believes the team is good enough to win the title.

Manager Jose Peseiro released Nigeria’s final squad to the competition in Ivory Coast, with top stars like Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi and Victor Boniface all making the final cut to the AFCON.

Adepoju opined that this is an opportunity for Nigeria to lift its fourth continental title due to the pedigree of the players Peseiro has selected.