Nigeria’s head coach, Nduka Ugbade, has expressed caution ahead of his team’s opening match against Zambia at the 2023 Africa U17 Cup of Nations.

Speaking at the mandatory pre-match press conference, Ugbade acknowledged the pedigree of his team at U17 level, having won five FIFA U17 World Cup trophies and two U17 AFCON titles. However, he also emphasized the strength of the other teams in the competition, stating that “Morocco, Cameroon, Algeria – all these countries in the competition are very good.”

Ugbade went on to say that he had no intention of making any bold predictions about his team’s performance, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of football: “I’m not going to tell you that we are going to go all the way because it’s difficult to say this. Anything can happen and before you know it the end comes for Nigeria.” He also noted that even the perceived underdogs in the competition, such as Somalia, have the potential to surprise: “The thing is that we are going to stand on our feet and do the best that we can, and see how we are able to go and how far we can.”

Despite his cautious approach, Ugbade also recognized the high expectations placed on Nigeria, given their history in U17 competitions: “it would be a big embarrassment if they don’t qualify for the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup.” He made it clear that his primary target for the tournament was for the Golden Eaglets to secure qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup before thinking about winning the AFCON: “my mind is that Nigeria is a very strong team…So I have the mind that Nigeria…we are going to stand on our feet and do the best that we can, and see how we are able to go and how far we can.”

In summary, Ugbade’s message was one of caution and realism, emphasizing the need for his team to take it one game at a time and to respect the quality of the opposition. The top four teams of the U17 AFCON will qualify for the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup as Africa’s representatives

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