President Tinubu urges Super Eagles to up their game in AFCON, monitors matches closely

Oreoluwa Ojelabi January 25, 2024

In a recent virtual address to the Super Eagles, President Bola Tinubu expressed his concerns about the team’s performance in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. The message was conveyed through the Minister of Sports, John Enoh, during a Zoom meeting with the players on Wednesday night in Abidjan.

Also read: Super Eagles aim for AFCON knockout stage against Guinea

President Tinubu, known for his keen interest in sports, urged the national team to elevate their performance and strive for excellence in the final stages of the tournament. Enoh revealed that Tinubu was not entirely impressed with the team’s showing during the group-stage matches.

“I had a meeting with the President yesterday. I went to the villa for something else, and the President cornered me, expressing his sentiments about the team’s performance,” stated Enoh. “He said that I should tell the players that he wasn’t too impressed with the last match, but he knows that now that they are through the group stages, they are expected to impress him more.”

Enoh further shared the President’s insight into the dynamics of tournament football, emphasizing that caution is prevalent in the group stage, and the real prowess is expected to shine through in the knockout rounds.

“I remember that in 2022 in Cameroon, Egypt as a country struggled to qualify, but they went ahead to play in the finals,” Enoh added, highlighting the unpredictability of football tournaments.

In response to President Tinubu’s message, team captain Ahmed Musa conveyed gratitude to the sports minister. However, he also extended an invitation to the President to attend their matches in person, noting that the presence of the country’s leader would serve as a significant motivation for the players.

The Super Eagles are gearing up for a challenging encounter as they face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the last 16 of the tournament. With President Tinubu closely monitoring their progress, the team is expected to draw inspiration from the encouragement received and aim for a more impressive performance in the upcoming matches.