Aliyu Zubairu, the head coach of the Flying Eagles, has been upbeat about his team’s chances of succeeding in the difficult group in the 2025 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
The Flying Eagles will face South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt, three dominant nations in North Africa.
The competition, which is set for April 26–May 18, is expected to be a major challenge for the Nigerian young team. Zubairu, though, thinks that this difficult draw might present a worthwhile chance for improvement.
It’s a draw with promise. Accepting every obstacle is crucial for a squad hoping to make it to the FIFA World Cup. We have a fantastic opportunity to compete against South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco at this point. I consider it a boon,” Zubairu said.
In response to worries about belonging to a purported “group of death,” the coach emphasized how African football is changing.
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“We ought to stop referring to this as a “group of death.” African football no longer has any tiny teams. Even lesser-known countries can achieve amazing progress if they arrive prepared, therefore the emphasis should be on careful planning,” he said.
The Nigeria Football Federation has started a training camp with a 30-man group in preparation for the continental championship.
Furthermore, two friendly games against the Egyptian Under-20 squad are planned for February 25 and 27 in Cairo. Zubairu will have a great opportunity to assess his team against a group competitor during these warm-up games.
