Newly appointed Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has played down talks of pressure ahead of Nigeria’s opening match against Tanzania at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ndidi made the remarks while speaking to the press in a video shared by the Super Eagles’ official X handle. When asked whether the team was under pressure heading into the tournament, the Leicester City midfielder was calm and confident in his response.
His statement read:
We got No pressue, because we have senior players, in the team with the help of the coach, staff and managers we have been seeing the system, learning from the former coach, captain, troot ekong, so there is no pressure at all.
In recent weeks, many fans and analysts have suggested the Super Eagles could be under pressure following leadership changes within the squad. Former captain William Troost-Ekong has stepped away from the national team, while long-serving forward Ahmed Musa also retired from international football, raising concerns about possible leadership gaps.
However, Ndidi further emphasized that the team understands the standards expected of them, referencing Nigeria’s recent AFCON campaign. He added:
Unfutunately we could not get the trouphy but we cannot go below that, the standards are already high so the team is ready for that, every one is award
Watch the full Video Below;
Softfootball recalls that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has also called for focus and unity ahead of the AFCON opener, stressing the importance of blocking out distractions and concentrating on performance.
As Nigeria prepares to face Tanzania in their first Group C fixture, Ndidi’s comments suggest a squad confident in its leadership, experience, and readiness to compete at the highest level in AFCON 2025.
