AFCON 1980 winner and Super Eagles legend Segun Odegbami has thrown his full support behind Nigeria’s quest for glory at AFCON 2025, backing the team to go all the way in the tournament, Softfootball.
Odegbami’s endorsement comes after the Super Eagles secured a dominant 4–0 victory over Mozambique to qualify for the quarter-finals, setting up a high-stakes encounter against Algeria on Saturday, 10 January 2025. Victory in that match would likely see Nigeria face the winner of Morocco vs Cameroon in the semi-finals.
In a video shared by the Super Eagles’ official X handle, the former winger emphasised that success at international tournaments often comes down to belief and mentality rather than just tactics.
“It is about confidence, it is about belief that you can do it,” Odegbami said.
“The difference between footballing countries is very small. From match to match, what makes you win could be one moment of magic, one mistake, or a bit of luck.”
He stressed that while many factors influence results, self-belief remains the most important.
“With the quality we have, with our history and the numbers we have, no country in Africa should be struggling with us,” he added.
Odegbami also highlighted Nigeria’s depth of talent across generations, pointing to stars like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and past greats who never won African Player of the Year despite their quality.
“That just tells you the depth of talent that we have,” he said.
“My advice to the Super Eagles is to play confidently, without fear, and like champions.”
According to the AFCON icon, when Nigeria plays with authority and confidence, victories are earned by quality, not luck.
“Go out there, dominate, entertain, and win. We have the players to do it,” Odegbami concluded.
Watch the Video clip below;
As Nigeria prepare for their quarter-final showdown, Odegbami’s words echo the growing belief among fans that AFCON 2025 could be the Super Eagles’ moment.
