Flying Eagles head coach, Aliyu Zubairu has made it clear that his team’s primary objective at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, is to secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The tournament’s four semi-finalists will automatically book their place at the 2025 U-20 World Cup in Chile, making every game in the group stage and knockout rounds critical.
Nigeria, who last lifted the continental title in 2015, are among the favourites once again, thanks to their rich pedigree and strong performances in recent competitions.
However, Zubairu is keeping expectations grounded and choosing to focus on step-by-step progress.
“We wouldn’t want to put too much pressure on the boys that they must win the trophy,” Zubairu told NFF TV.
“The first target now is to get the ticket to the World Cup. When we get to the semi-final stage, we will sit them down again, and talk about winning the title, but our first target is the World Cup ticket.”
The Flying Eagles open their campaign against Tunisia on Thursday at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo. The head coach expressed confidence in the team’s readiness, emphasizing their extensive preparation across multiple locations in Nigeria before settling in Egypt.
“We are very much prepared, if you look at the journey, we started preparation from Abuja to Kastina, then Kastina back to Abuja. Now, we are in Egypt waiting for the first match which is against Tunisia. The boys are ready,” Zubairu stated.
Historically, Nigeria and Tunisia have met five times at this level. The Flying Eagles hold the edge with three wins, while Tunisia have managed just one victory and a draw.
Nigeria famously thrashed Tunisia 4-0 in the third-place match at the 2023 edition, but Zubairu is not dwelling on past results.
“There is no pressure from any angle. Our win over Tunisia two years ago is a big motivation, even though you don’t dwell too much in the past.
“We beat them 4-0 in the third-place match then, but it’s going to be a different scenario now. They are two different teams even though they are representing the same country.
“I don’t see it a pressure, even though history can always play a role in motivating a team. So, it’s going to serve as a motivating factor for the team,” he concluded.
