Ex-French international Christian Karembeu has said that the Super Eagles are capable of winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup, holding in Russia later in the year.
This is even as he noted that Nigeria’s quest to win the World Cup in Russia is reinforced with having an experienced coach who knows international competition very well in the person of Gernot Rohr.
Karembeu stated these on Wednesday while speaking to sports journalists at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja shortly after the unveiling of the FIFA World Cup.
The 1998 World Cup winner with France’s Les Bleus declared that though the Eagles going to Russia lacked the talent of the likes of Austin Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, among others, they were still capable of conquering the World in Russia.
He, however, added a caveat: “To achieve this, the Super Eagles need to fight like made men on the field of play.”
Karembeu added that the Eagles have a bunch of young and talented players being piloted by Rohr.
“This is evidenced in the fact that they were the first to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Africa,” Karembeu, who is a FIFA representative accompanying the FIFA World Cup to Nigeria on a pre-World Cup tour, stated.
Speaking earlier before the unveiling of the World Cup trophy, the French legend stated that Nigeria deserved to win the World Cup with the kind of talent in the country.
The Les Bleus legend noted that the Eagles are an exciting team, declaring that he had played against some Nigerian players before.
According to him, “Yes, we know there are a number of strong African countries in the game but Nigeria has always been a great footballing nation, and they have an exciting team heading to the FIFA World Cup in Russia.
“I have played alongside and against so many Nigerian players and I can attest to their strength and ambition. I believe the present Super Eagles squad is capable of great things.”
At the occasion, the sports minister, Solomon Dalung expressed the hope that with the presence of the FIFA World Cup trophy currently on tour of Nigeria, the Super Eagles would be motivated to conquer the world at the Russia 2018 World Cup finals.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Olusade Adesola, the minister expressed the hope that the trophy would not only tour Nigeria but also come back to the country after the Eagles might have won it later in the year.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Bhupendra Suri, expressed delight that the trophy was visiting Nigeria for the third time, the last being 2010.
Suri informed that was brought to the country on tour was the original, solid gold FIFA World Cup trophy, saying that “What is brought here is not a replica of the World Cup but the original solid gold trophy.”
According to him, Coca-Cola had an agreement with FIFA to take the trophy on tour of 211 countries between 2006 and 2030, adding that Nigeria was one of few special countries where the trophy would be seen in two different cities.
Suri also announced that Coca-Cola would soon unveil a promotion in which Nigerians would win all-expense-paid trip to the World Cup finals in Russia.
On his part, the Managing Director of Nigeria Bottling Company, Georgios Polymenakos, submitted that Nigerians had amazing passion for the game of football and expressed the hope that the country would not only win the World Cup in Russia but also host the rest of the world in the near future.
Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick, while appreciating Coca-Cola fir bring the World Cup trophy to Nigeria, stated that with the partnership between the Federation and Coca-Cola, Nigerians would see a well-motivated Eagles in Russia.
He noted that the partnership between them is a direct consequence of the passion Nigerians have for the soft drink, declaring that, “Coca-Cola is like a religion in Nigeria.”
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