Former Super Eagles captain and 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Segun Odegbami, has called on the Nigerian national team to harness their individual brilliance into collective dominance by playing with confidence and belief.
In a video message shared on the Super Eagles’ official X account on Friday, Odegbami stressed that self-belief is often the defining factor in international football.
According to him, margins between teams are usually slim, with outcomes sometimes decided by a single moment of brilliance, luck or an opponent’s mistake. However, he emphasised that confidence and belief remain the most important ingredients for success.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s football pedigree, the former winger noted that the Super Eagles possess enough quality and depth to challenge any team on the continent.
“With the quality that we have, with our history and the numbers that we have, no country in Africa should be struggling with us,” Odegbami said.
He highlighted the achievements of current stars such as Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, while also referencing past greats like Mikel Obi and Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha to illustrate Nigeria’s abundance of talent over the years.
Odegbami urged the players to approach matches with authority, confidence and the mindset of champions, adding that victories achieved with belief are often deserved rather than accidental.
“When you play confidently and without fear, you more often than not win—and you win because you are good,” he said.
He concluded by encouraging the team to entertain, dominate and impose themselves on opponents, insisting that the Super Eagles have the players capable of doing so.
Odegbami’s message comes as Nigeria prepare for their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash against Algeria in Marrakesh on Saturday.
