It's time for Nigeria to win AFCON again - Adepoju

Mutiu Adepoju, Nigeria. Picture by: Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport. Date taken: 22-Dec-1998

Wednesday Oct 18, 2023. 15:00

Former Real Madrid midfielder Mutiu Adepoju has backed the current Super Eagles team to win the 2023 AFCON finals.

This comes after the West African giants drew 2-2 with Saudi Arabia before defeating Mozambique 3-2 in international friendly matches during the recent FIFA break.

Adepoju, who was part of Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON title-winning squad in Tunisia, discussed the Super Eagles’ chances of winning the upcoming tournament.

“We have many chances because we have a lot of players in Africa, and our players playing in Europe are performing exceptionally well in their clubs,” Adepoju said to All Nigeria Soccer.

“We also have many players in Nigerian clubs who are excelling. It’s only a matter of time, and I believe that time has come.”

The Super Eagles are in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau at the 2023 AFCON finals scheduled for January and February 2024.

The last time Nigeria won the AFCON title was in 2013 in South Africa under coach Sunday Keshi and they are now under the guidance of Jose Peseiro.

“We can’t be saying we are just going to the Nations Cup to participate. Since 2013, we’ve not won any AFCON,” Adepoju added.

“We’ve reached the semifinals a few times, but we haven’t won it. I think it’s time, and we also have the quality to win it.”