Flying Eagles Coach Pledges to Strengthen Team’s Attack
Flying Eagles Coach Pledges to Strengthen Team’s Attack
Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has vowed to address the team’s attacking shortcomings ahead of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Chile from September 27 to October 19.
Zubairu, who guided the team to a third-place finish at the 2025 U-20 AFCON in Egypt, acknowledged the need for improvement after the squad managed only four goals from open play during the tournament.
Their highest-scoring game was during a 2-2 draw against Kenya.
As they regroup for the World Cup in Chile, the coach, who has just quit his job with NPFL side El-Kanemi Warriors, admits that the Flying Eagles’ attack needs beefing up.
“I think for most of us that followed what really happened during AFCON, we know that we did not find things easy. Particularly, if you look at the area of goal scoring,” Zubairu said.
We were having the best of position playing against any team at all. But when it comes to finishing, we really had some difficulties. But that has been taken care of and I believe the most important thing is the ticket to the World Cup which we got.
The Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group F of the 2025 U-20 World Cup, alongside Colombia, Norway, and Saudi Arabia.
Nigeria’s U-20 team will open their 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign against Norway on September 29, followed by a clash with Saudi Arabia on October 3. Their final group stage match will be against Colombia on October 6.
The Flying Eagles have twice finished as runners-up in the history of the tournament—first in 1989, when they narrowly lost to Portugal, and again in 2005, falling to an Argentina side led by Lionel Messi. In the 2023 edition held in Argentina, they exited the competition in the round of 16 after a defeat to South Korea.
