Africa Cup of Nations 2023: List of Super Eagles Team Members Who Are AFCON Winners
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering sports and football
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Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire - The Super Eagles of Nigeria are bracing up for their next encounter against old rivals, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 round of 16.
The Nigeria senior national football team said they are focused on the next challenge and are working day and night with their eyes fixed on the top prize.
Source: Twitter
Meanwhile, there are some members of the current Nigerian team who are AFCON-winning individuals. Legit.ng writes on them:
1) Ahmed Musa
Musa, the official captain of the team, is one of the two members (players) of Nigeria's last AFCON-winning team in South Africa 2013, who are part of the current team.
During the 2013 tournament, the 31-year-old scored in Nigeria's 4-1 win over Mali in the semi-final and also came on as a substitute in the final against Burkina Faso.
Musa, although a fringe player in the current team, has been influential off the pitch — as noted by African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen.
2) Kenneth Omeruo
Like Musa, Omeruo won the AFCON over 10 years ago — in 2013.
The Kasımpaşa of Turkey defender played in all of Nigeria's matches at the 2013 AFCON under the late Stephen Keshi as the nation went on to win the competition for the third time.
Later that year he was selected for Nigeria's squad at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and played in all of the three group games as Nigeria finished third in their group.
Omeuro was named in Nigeria's final squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and started in all four games as Nigeria finished second in their group and were eliminated by France in the round of 16.
He was selected by Nigeria for their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics, but did not make the final 18-man squad.
He also made it to the squad of Nigeria’s last world cup appearance, in Russia.
Already, Omeruo is confident Nigeria can 'do it again'.
He said on Wednesday, January 24, after the team’s training session:
“We are confident. After the last game (against Guinea Bissau), we said to ourselves whoever we get next, we just have to keep to our game plan and take it one hundred percent and we can beat any team."
Watch Omeruo's message below:
3) Finidi George
Considered one of Nigeria's greatest wingers, Coach Finidi won the AFCON as a player in 1994. The Ajax Amsterdam of Netherlands legend achieved runner-up and third-place finish with Nigeria in 2000 and 2002 respectively.
Finidi is one of the assistants to Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, a position he combines with his head coach role at Enyimba football club of Aba.
What to read about AFCON:
- AFCON 2023: Full list of round of 16 match fixtures with time, date as Nigeria face Cameroon
- AFCON 2023: List of African football legends who have visited Super Eagles' camp in Ivory Coast
- AFCON 2023 Winner: Shehu Sani taunts prophets 'for going AWOL', Nigerians react
Nigeria meets Cameroon in AFCON round of 16
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Super Eagles will face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the 2023 AFCON round of 16.
The fixture was confirmed after Cameroon saw off the challenge of Gambia in their last group game on Tuesday evening, January 23.
The last time the two giants met at the AFCON was in the 2019 edition in Egypt when the Super Eagles defeated the Indomitable Lions 3-2 in the round of 16 en route to their third-place finish.
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Source: Legit.ng
