AFCON
SUPER EAGLES: WILL THIS BE THE TURNING POINT?
BY DOUGLAS BAYE – OSAGIE
No one needs a reminder that the Super Eagles are in town – the paparazzi sessions, social media feeds, gossip blogs, radio and television stations are awash with all the happenings around the players and officials as they take to the field in Porto Novo this Saturday
To some of us who have almost religiously followed this team all our lives, there is the need to be cautiously optimistic about the outcome of both encounters.
With players from some of the best and competitive leagues in the world, the Super Eagles are always condemned to win every game they play in the African continent.
And to say Gernot Rohr has maximized the pool of talents in this team will be turning the truth on its head.
The last round of games in the AFCON qualifiers against Sierra Leone – a team ranked 116th in the FIFA rankings proved to all, how much this team under Rohr has failed to hit top gear.
Like a leaking roof, the Eagles failed to manage a four goal lead in Benin City against Sierra Leone and settled for a four all draw. The return leg in Freetown was a lacklustre goalless draw that resulted in large sections of the media questioning the capacity of Rohr to bring out the best in the players.
Nigeria must be weary of looking down on her less fancied neighbours who always save up so much energy for a fight. Benin are on the verge of booking their place at next year’s continental showpiece
Michel Dussuyer’s men bounced back in style from an opening defeat to Nigeria, picking up seven points from the next nine available.
Speaking in a news conference on Monday, Dussuyer said his side has respect for Super Eagles but they will approach the game with everything they have.
“We have respect for Nigeria but we also have our assets. We will approach the game with a lot of seriousness and determination.
“We know what we have to do on Saturday our ambition is to win. It will not be an easy task. We have hopes,” he said.
The coaches of both teams are yet to win any silverware of note in their careers. Like Gernot Rohr who has handled Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso, Michel Dussuyer is a journeyman cum hustler in African football – with different stints as head coach of Guinea, Cote D’Ivoire and Benin Republic from 2002 till date.
They bring their organizational prowess and grind out results during qualifying games. It is in the tournament proper, where the acid test of their coaching credentials are scrutinized that they are found out.
In this Saturday’s game, Rohr has an extra advantage because of the avalanche of talents at his disposal.
The problem has been getting the best out of his players who seem to play very well for their clubs but fail to hit the same frequency on the green and white jerseys.
The big question again is: will this be the turning point?
Nigeria has been very predictable under Rohr, we must annoyingly admit. The coach has built his attacking strength on the strength of his wingers from the days of Victor Moses.
We have struggled to score goals and when goals eventually comes, we can’t defend it.
For an African team that can boast of strikers like Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, Sam Chukwueze, Paul Onuachu, Ahmed Musa and Henry Onyekuru, goals shouldn’t be scarce because of the quality of players.
What the team lacks is the balance and formation to make the attackers score.
Coaches have known for a fact that to stop Nigeria, you must stop their wide players from running into the box.
The alternative, which is using your central midfield players to open up pocket of spaces through the middle, is limited due to the formation that is played. In a 4-3-3 formation, the attacking midfield player is the spine of the team and must have the ability to go pass players in a sublime manner.
Joe Aribo looks like the only natural playmaker in the team but he looked terribly out of place, in physicality and chemistry in the double header against Sierra Leone.
African football is still a learning curve for Joe Aribo, a player who will come well with time.
If and only if Alex Iwobi can be more consistent, we might have solved some of the problems of the present Super Eagles.
When France won the World Cup in 98 and Euro Cup in 2000, they had a Youri Djorkaeff taking playmaking responsibilities from Zidane when the opponents closed the great Zidane up.
I believe the strikers in this team will enjoy a smooth operator like Kelechi Nwakali whose absence in the team is largely dependent on getting a descent club and playing regularly.
His buddies at U17 level, Osimhen and Chukwueze are the biggest players in the National team at the moment and it can be said that he was the best player when Nigeria won the U17 world cup in Chile 2015.
The midfield duo of Ndidi and Etebo are very solid defensively and can provide a good cover but seem to do more than necessary on the National team colours. Making sure they keep to their functions of breaking play, mopping up and playing out from the back will help the team function efficiently.
Benin are undefeated at home in more than eight years, showing the herculean nature of the task facing the Super Eagles will be facing. Nigeria have struggled in defence in recent years, suggesting that goals could be scored at both ends.
With qualifications almost a foregone conclusion, except a monumental capitulation takes place, Nigeria will be playing for pride. We expect that a game against our “little” neighbour’s will be taken very seriously
How much are the Super Eagles players ready to be at their very best? Will the coach be brave enough to start some players who haven’t had a chance to prove a point? Will this be the turning point? A victory in Cotonou will serve as a tonic with the Super Eagles expected back in Lagos to play Lesotho ?? after almost a decade away from the cathedral 0f Nigerian football.
- Douglas writes from Abuja
The Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) has kicked off a European promotional tour themed “Morocco, Land of Football” to boost the country’s visibility ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The roadshow, which began on June 16 and runs through June 23, is making stops in five key European cities: Madrid, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Milan.
According to a press release, the initiative is designed to enhance Morocco’s international profile through a blend of sports and cultural promotion, as the kingdom prepares to host the continent’s premier football tournament.
“Morocco is preparing to welcome Africa. Through this roadshow, we aim to tell a collective story of a country oriented towards the future, proud of its roots, and passionate about football,” said Achraf Fayda, Director General of ONMT.
The roadshow stems from a strategic partnership signed in April between the ONMT and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), with the shared goal of positioning Morocco as a leading global destination for both football and tourism by 2030.
At each stop, the tour is expected to engage over 100 travel agents, tour operators, media professionals, and African tourism experts. Participants are treated to immersive, multisensory experiences that highlight Morocco’s tourism offerings, while also facilitating networking with sports personalities.
The campaign targets travel professionals, sports industry stakeholders, and digital content creators as part of ONMT’s broader strategy to leverage AFCON 2025 for tourism development and international branding.
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The African Football Confederation (CAF) and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) have sealed a historic strategic partnership that grants Morocco’s national airline the status of “Official Global Partner” for upcoming major African football competitions.
The agreement was signed Saturday morning in Casablanca, in the presence of Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaâ.
This partnership encompasses several prestigious tournaments, including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (AFCON) 2025 (December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026) and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON) 2024 (July 5-26, 2025).
The agreement also covers CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF Champions League 2024/2025 Finals, CAF Confederation Cup 2024/2025 Finals, and the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe voiced enthusiasm about the collaboration.
“We are excited about the partnership between CAF and Royal Air Maroc, a world-class airline that will provide comfort and fly NationalTeams participating in the CAF competitions,” he said.
“We are confident that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be the most successful AFCON in the history of this competition.”
The agreement strengthens RAM’s footprint across Africa and globally, solidifying its role as a strategic gateway between Africa and the rest of the world. It also aligns with Morocco’s emergence as an international sports hub, with the country preparing to host AFCON 2025 and co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030.
RAM’s Chairman and CEO Hamid Addou stated: “This historic partnership with CAF aligns fully with our strategic vision as an airline deeply rooted in Africa and committed to its development.”
“Royal Air Maroc doesn’t just connect destinations; it builds bridges between cultures and passions. By supporting the continent’s biggest football competitions, we reaffirm our role as a facilitator of human and sporting exchanges,” he continued.
500,000 supporters expected
Beyond its partnership role, RAM will implement an exceptional operational system to meet increased demand during CAF competitions. The airline plans to welcome over 500,000 supporters for AFCON 2025.
“We believe we will surpass this figure by far,” revealed Addou. “We will be ready to accommodate these supporters across Royal Air Maroc’s entire network.”
The airline intends to double seat capacity from qualified countries already served by RAM, such as Dakar, Abidjan, Cairo, Tunis, Bamako, Lagos, and Douala.
RAM will also intensify flight frequencies from European cities with large African communities, including Paris, Brussels, Milan, London, Marseille, Lyon, Madrid, and Barcelona.
Additionally, the airline will establish a dedicated program for domestic air transport of national teams, shuttling them between their base camps and host cities.
This positioning establishes RAM as the primary connector between Africa and Europe through its Casablanca hub. FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaâ noted that the contract “reinforces Royal Air Maroc’s first-rate leadership role in Africa.”
“Royal Air Maroc is no stranger to football,” Lekjaâ added. “It has always supported generations of our athletes and footballers here in Morocco.”
“With this expertise and experience, they will contribute significantly to making AFCON 2025 Morocco exceptional, a historic turning point in African football, cultural coexistence and African cultural exchange,” he concluded.
Addou stressed RAM’s commitment to African unity: “We are all extremely proud to be African, and in every corner of this vast and magnificent continent, we share the same ambition—to actively contribute to Africa’s development and influence.”
The RAM CEO concluded by inviting everyone to upcoming CAF calendar events: “We’ll see you very soon for the great moments ahead in the CAF calendar, particularly the Women’s AFCON starting in July and, of course, the men’s AFCON, which kicks off on December 25.”
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The presidents of the regional councils concerned by the hosting of the matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco-2025) unanimously affirmed that the implementation of infrastructure projects in anticipation of this continental event “is progressing at a sustained pace”, declaring themselves “fully mobilized” to crown with success the major sporting events scheduled in the Kingdom.
They specified, in statements to the press in Rabat following a meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior devoted to the assessment of the progress of the construction and rehabilitation works of the stadiums, that major sports infrastructure projects are underway in the six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir.
The President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council, Abdellatif Maâzouz, announced that the projects planned for upcoming international sporting events, in particular the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, “are proceeding under good conditions.”
The projects related to the organisation of the AFCON will be ready by next July at the latest, he assured, specifying that there is a clear vision regarding the preparations underway for the AFCON and the 2030 World Cup, both in terms of equipment and organisational arrangements related to human resources and animation.
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