Super Eagles seek 4th title as 34th AFCON begins

The attention of the sporting world will shift to Africa as the continent’s flagship football competition, the 34th edition of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will kick-off today in Cote d’Ivoire.

Beginning from today till February 11, 2024, 24 teams including Nigeria’s Super Eagles will battle to outdo one another for Africa’s most coveted continental football trophy.

The Super Eagles are in Group A alongside the hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and GuineaBissau and will play their first match tomorrow against Equatorial Guinea. They will also face Cote d’Ivoire four days later, before their final Group A fixture against Guinea-Bissau on January 22.

Prior to the much awaited kickoff, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had increased the AFCON Prize money by almost 40 percent, meaning that the eventual winner would take home $7 million. The runners-up will also receive $4 million. The quarter-finalist will win $1.3 million, while the two semi-finalists will each receive $2.5 million.

The increase in prize money is expected to increase rivalry and competition among the participating teams with the Super Eagles expected to share in the largesse.

Dr Patrice Motsepe, President of CAF had earlier revealed that in the last two years, CAF had increased the prize money for its key competitions, including the AFCON while hoping that the prize money will help football in Africa grow.

With the ambition of the CAF president to see African football grow, Nigerians are expecting the Super Eagles to step up and make up for their past failures following their disappointing showing in the 33rd AFCON in Cameroon and their absence at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

This edition is the 20th time Nigeria will be participating in the biennial football competition and the Eagles are the most decorated in terms of overall medals won.

The Eagles of Nigeria have won it three times in 1980, 1994 and 2013 while coming second four times in 1984, 1988, 1999 and 2000 and had third eight times in 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2019.

William Ekong ahead of Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi as the team disembarked from the chartered aircraft in Abidjan on Wednesday

Guinea-Bissau has never performances in the group stage. give their best to win the AFCON advanced past the group stage in any Having recently been crowned in Cote d’Ivoire. of the editions it has participated African Footballer of the Year, the He tasked the Super Eagles who in and has only managed to draw prolific Napoli striker showcased were in high spirits to aim for glory matches, with no victories in his goal-scoring prowess during in Cote d’Ivoire and give their best AFCON history while Equatorial the qualifiers, netting ten goals to bring the trophy home. Guinea have participated in three to become the top scorer in “You (Super Eagles players) AFCON editions. consecutive qualifiers. are the country unifiers; there is

Nigeria’s most formidable Similarly, Head Coach, Jose an excitement in the heart of over opponent, Ivory Coast have Peseiro is upbeat his team can 220 million Nigerians. We believe participated in 25 editions and have emerge the best team on the we have men that can do it for us. been crowned champions twice continent again. Believe in yourself, and don’t give up (1992 and 2015). “My experience with the in Côte d’Ivoire.

With Nigeria chasing an almost Nigerian national team is very “We can’t say we want to do it elusive fourth title, Africa’s best good. Being part of African and again by mouth; you must give player, Victor Osimhen said he is Nigerian football is an interesting your best, work as a team. It is not ready to break the ‘jinx’ in Ivory thing, and I cannot deny that. an individual sport; it is a team Coast. “I told everyone that I wanted sport. Personally, I have committed

“The most important thing for to win the Africa Cup of Nations myself that I will be in Abidjan for us now is to go to Ivory Coast and from the first moment I signed the the games on Sunday and support win the tournament,” Osimhen contract with the Nigerian national the team. stated during the national team team, and we study our opponents “I want to assure you that our camp in the UAE. well in order to win, and this is what best wish is to do it for our country.

“I believe in this group, we have a we seek to achieve,” he said. We pray that God will give you bunch of talented players to execute In a bid to bring home the trophy, the strength to do it. Winning the the job, fingers crossed and we are President Bola Tinubu boosted AFCON will be the best New Year going to do so well,” he added. the morale of the team and their present that you can give to us. It

The 25-year-old forward made handlers by approving $1.3million will be the best palliative that you his Africa Cup of Nations debut to offset the outstanding salary of can give to us. It will be the best of in the 2019 edition held in Egypt, Peseiro and all pending bonuses everything. We have to do it again. featuring in a third-place playoff and allowances for the team’s 26 It has been 10 years; it is such a long match against Tunisia. matches. time ago but we want it back into

However, he missed the last Similarly, the Lagos State our country again,” he said. edition in Cameroon due to Governor, Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu, With all the necessary support injury. In Osimhen’s absence, while speaking at the dinner given, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Nigeria returned emptyhanded he hosted for the team at the Lagos despite injuries suffered by key from Cameroon, House, Marina, after they returned players like Wilfred Ndidi, Victor suffering a shocking 1-0 loss to from their training camp in Abu Boniface and Taiwo Awoniyi, are Tunisia in the round of 16 after Dhabi, United Arab Emirates condemned to return home with impressing fans with remarkable (UAE), urged the Super Eagles to the trophy next month.

Records have it that in all the 20 appearances, Nigeria have scored a total of 137 goals with the late striker, Rashidi Yekini leading Nigeria’s goal chart with 13 goals at the AFCON.

Super Falcons AFCON group has the peculiarity of having a total of five AFCON titles, combining the three won by Nigeria and the two by Ivory Coast. sports@dailytrust.com

We can’t say we want to do it again by mouth; you must give your best, work as a team. It is not an individual sport; it is a team sport. Personally, I have committed myself that I will be in Abidjan for the games on Sunday and support the team.