Eguavoen Issues Warning to Super Eagles Players Ahead of AFCON Qualifiers

• The Super Eagles are set to kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign against the Republic of Benin
• The Nigeria Football Federation has appointed Augustine Eguavoen as interim coach to lead the Super Eagles team
• The interim manager has issued a clear warning to the national team players ahead of the crucial qualification fixtures

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a crucial home fixture against the Republic of Benin.

Despite reaching the final of the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, the Nigerian team has seen their form take a significant downturn.

The Super Eagles have failed to secure a single victory in any competitive match since the showpiece event in Ivory Coast, putting their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign at serious risk.

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However, as the team prepares to embark on their AFCON qualification journey for the tournament in Morocco, interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has issued a subtle warning to his players.

Eguavoen sends warning to Super Eagles

The 59-year-old, who was brought into the Super Eagles setup following the federation’s prolonged search for a new manager, has emphasised that his players must not underestimate any opponent to secure maximum points in the early stages of the qualifiers.

Speaking to the media, as reported by AllNigeriaSoccer, the former right-back stated:

“We need to remind the players that they were almost African champions just months ago. It hasn’t even been a year. What went wrong?”

The Super Eagles' technical director also warned that underestimating their opponents could jeopardise their chances of achieving a positive result.

"I am very confident they will go out there and make the nation proud. But we will treat Benin with the utmost respect because if you disrespect your opponents, you create problems. We will play them with great respect, but this is our home."

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The Super Eagles' most recent defeat came against Benin—the same side they are set to face on September 7, before travelling to Kigali to take on Rwanda on September 10, according to data from FotMob.

Super Eagles hit with new setback

Legit.ng in another report detailed that the Super Eagles team has been hit with a fresh setback.

Ahead of their qualification games, fullback, Bright Osayi-Samuel, has suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out of the upcoming matches.

Source: Legit.ng