As the Super Eagles prepare for the all-important Match Days 7 and 8 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the Amavubi of Rwanda and the Bafana Bafana of South respectively, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has said that the players are determined to hoist Nigeria’s flag at next year’s mundial to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
NFF Secretary General, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, speaking in an exclusive interview with Sporting Tribune in Abuja, said the players understand the gravity of missing out on the World Cup, while adding that the Federation and the coaching crew have informed the players about the situation at hand.
Dr Sanusi added that preparations are already in top gear in terms of training facilities in making sure that the three-time African champions secure maximum points in Nigeria and in South Africa.
He said, “The players are more aware (about qualifying for the World Cup) than you and me because every player would want to go to the World Cup. Apart from the pride of the nation, it also increases their marketability. So, there’s no player that wouldn’t want to go to the World Cup.
“The way you’re doing the calculations, they are doing it more than you. They want to succeed more than any other person. They are fully aware of that. The coaches have told them, we’ve told them, everybody is aware.
“The preparations, of course, is to make sure that we extend invitations to players, which we have done and to get their release from their various clubs. We’re also on receiving them when they arrive. Their training facilitieshave everything in place. And what we expect by the grace of God is victory.”
Sanusi added, “For Nigerians, we want them to believe in the team. We want everybody to give the team maximum support because when you bring in players to play for you and they now come to realise that everybody is solidly behind them, it’s a good moral booster to them, to know that every Nigerian is solidly behind them.
“We are grateful to the members of the media for being positive all the time about the players. Anytime they (players) open the pages of the newspapers, they see a lot of praises about them, their individual performances in their clubs and what we expect them to put in place here when they come, I mean it’s very good. These are the kind of collaborations we want to have with the media, positive collaborations.”
Speaking on Lookman’s readiness for the games in spite of his transfer saga and if he’ll not be distracted and what the football house is doing about it, the NFF scribe said, “It (the transfer) is not what the football house can do anything about. It’s about the players and the club he’s playing for and the club that want him.
“All we know is that Ademola Lookman is focused and that’s not going to affect his playing for the nation and of course, his performance. He’s not a small player, he’s a big-time player that knows his onions and will not allow such kind of thing to disturb him.”
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