Kwara Football Academy (KFA) midfielder, Abduljelil Kamaldeen, and Wireless FC winger, Tahir Maigana, have promised to give their best as Nigeria’s Flying Eagles eye global glory at the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
With Nigeria seeking its first FIFA U-20 World Cup after reaching the final in 1989 and 2005, the Flying Eagles will be counting on the players’ exceptional football talent to help them scale through Group F where they face Norway on 29 September, Saudi Arabia on 2 October and Colombia on 5 October.
The Flying Eagles will kick off their campaign at the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup with a Group F opener against Norway on Monday, September 29, and Kamaldeen and Maigana are eager to help the team win its first-ever title, having lost two finals in 1989 and 2005.
Kamaldeen was included in the Flying Eagles’ final squad by coach Aliyu Zubairu for the FIFA U-20 World Cup following a run of wonderful displays for Nigeria at the WAFU B U-20 tournament in Ghana earlier this year, despite the team losing to the Ivory Coast in the final.
The young midfielder scored a goal to help the Flying Eagles come from behind to beat Benin Republic 4-1 in their final group game to reach the semi-final of the WAFU B U-20 tournament.
Having played a prominent role for Nigeria at the WAFU B U-20 tournament, Kamaldeen cut for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, and just last week, he was in action for the Flying Eagles in a friendly match as they drew 1-1 with host nation, Chile, in Rancagua.
The 16-year-old, whose ability to control the midfield and inspire play has been widely praised by coaches and analysts alike, said he will go all out to help Nigeria defeat Norway in their opening group match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
“We know what we came to do in Chile, and we, the players, have spoken among ourselves that we need to start the tournament on a winning note. As for me, I promise to give my best to help the team achieve success,” Kamaldeen said.
For Maigana from Borno State, the 17-year-old plays as a right winger and also participated in the 2025 U-20 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt to cap an inspiring story of resilience and talent.
His story is that of grass to grace, having come from the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp to earn a spot in the Flying Eagles’ final squad for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, has long been affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, which has displaced thousands and led to the creation of IDP camps. Despite these hardships, Maigana’s football skills have stood out.
Currently playing for Wireless Football Club in Abuja, Maigana is a naturally gifted left-footer, admired for his creativity and vision on the field, with his selection by coach Zubairu underscoring his potential to make a meaningful impact on the world stage.
Speaking in Chile, Maigana said: “We cannot afford to fail in this tournament because we know what Nigerians are expecting from us back home. We will do our very best to ensure that we come out victorious against Norway in our first group game.”
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