Super Eagles defender Kenneth Omeruo has drawn the media attention to himself after he said the current national team squad has better talents than that which won the 2013 AFCON title in South Africa.
In a pre-match press conference yesterday, the Leganes defender confessed that the squad assembled by Jose Peseiro is more talented than what late coach Stephen Keshi used to win the nation’s third title.
A decade ago, Stephen Keshi(now late) won Nigeria’s third AFCON title at the FNB stadium in South Africa.
Keshi assembled a 23-man team that comprise of both local and foreign-based players. Some of the players in the Stephen Keshi team are: Vincent Enyeama, Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey Oboabona, Joseph Yobo, Eguekwe, Elderson Echiejile, Sunday Mba, Ogenyi Onazi, Fegor Ogude, John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Brown Ideye, Ike Uche, Emmanuel Emenike, Austin Ejide, Juwon Oshaniwa.
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A second half solo-goal by Sunday Mba was the difference between Nigeria and Burkina Faso in the finals.
According to Omeruo, the crop of players available now is better, but needs a professional guidance to reach their potential.
Omeruo on AFCON squad:
“Talent-wise, this team is better than the 2013 AFCON winning team, but there’s still a lot to be done to get to their level,” he told the NFF media.
“Ahmed(Musa) and I were part of the team.”
Speaking further, the former Chelsea Football Club defender, it will also be an honour to win the AFCON with the current group.
“We also want to win with this group,” he continued.
“It is not easy but we have to keep working hard to attain that level of 2013.”
Nigeria will lock horns with the Wild Dogs of Guinea-Bissau today(27 march, 2023) for the second leg of the AFCON qualifier matches.
Nigeria is currently second of the group with six points from a possible nine. A win will see them leapfrog Guinea-Bissau into the top position.
