Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has emphasized that the team’s primary goal at the upcoming 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations is to secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Nigeria will need to reach the semi-finals of the tournament in Egypt to earn one of the four available World Cup tickets.
Speaking to NFF TV, Zubairu said while winning the title is important, the focus for now is firmly on progressing to the last four.
“We wouldn’t want to put too much pressure on the boys that they must win the trophy,” he said. “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.”
The Flying Eagles, seven-time African champions, will kick off their campaign on Thursday against Tunisia at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo.
Zubairu expressed confidence in the team’s readiness, highlighting their extensive preparation which began in Abuja, continued in Katsina, and concluded with final training sessions in Egypt.
“We are very much prepared. The boys are ready,” he said.
The encounter against Tunisia rekindles a recent rivalry between the two nations. Nigeria triumphed 4–0 over the North Africans in the third-place match of the 2023 U-20 AFCON, also held in Egypt.
While acknowledging that the history offers motivation, Zubairu dismissed any notion of pressure.
“There is no pressure from any angle,” he said. “Our win over Tunisia two years ago is a big motivation, even though you don’t dwell too much in the past. It’s going to be a different scenario now. They are two different teams, even though they are representing the same country.”
Nigeria and Tunisia have faced off five times at this level, with Nigeria winning three, Tunisia claiming one victory, and one match ending in a draw.
The Flying Eagles are considered one of the top contenders for the title this year, having last lifted the continental crown in 2015. However, Coach Zubairu insists qualification for the World Cup remains the top priority.
