Lagos, Nigeria – Despite a turbulent lead-up to next month’s Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria remain “one of the favourites” to lift the trophy according to their former title-winning captain John Obi Mikel.
The Super Eagles head to the Ivory Coast among the contenders to add to their 1994, 1980 and 2013 continental crowns. They take on the host nation in Group E along with Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
And while a chaotic coaching change just weeks before the tournament has threatened to derail their preparations, Mikel insists Nigeria’s pedigree at the AFCON finals means they should never be discounted.
“We are always favourites, that’s the case every time we go into the tournament and it’s no different this time,” Mikel, who skippered Nigeria to glory in 2013, told CAF.
“Everyone knows we are one of the favourites – not the big favourite but definitely one of the favourites.”
Mikel believes winning a fourth title in Cameroon would “get [Nigeria’s] football back to where it should be” after recent turbulence which saw Jose Peseiro abruptly replaced as head coach by Augustine Eguavoen last month.
Victory would certainly lift the nation after Nigerian football was celebrated globally last October when Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Barcelona forward Asisat Oshoala were voted African Player of the Year.
Nigeria have finished runners-up four times and reached at least the semi-finals on 12 separate occasions.
With talents like Alex Iwobi, Wilfried Ndidi and Joe Aribo in their prime, Mikel feels the 2023 vintage has sufficient quality to succeed where recent squads have fallen short.
