Victor Osimhen, Napoli striker and top scorer during the qualifying campaign, has expressed confidence that the Super Eagles will emerge victorious in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Cote d’Ivoire. Osimhen shared his optimism while speaking at the team’s camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE, after being honored by teammates for winning the Player of the Year (POTY) award.
Emphasizing the team’s collective goal, Osimhen stated, “The most important thing for us now is to go to Ivory Coast and win the tournament; I believe in this group, we have a bunch of talented players to execute the job, fingers crossed, and we are going to do so well.”
During the qualifying campaign, Osimhen scored ten goals, five more than his closest rival, Senegal’s Sadio Mané. The Super Eagles, ranked sixth on the continent, are considered one of the favorites in the 34th edition of the AFCON, alongside strong contenders like Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria.
To secure victory, Nigeria must first navigate through Group A, competing against hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau, before advancing to challenging knockout rounds. Despite not winning the AFCON trophy in the last ten years, Osimhen is confident that the Super Eagles possess the quality and talent to change the narrative and make the nation proud in the upcoming tournament, scheduled to kick off on January 13.