As Nigeria gears up for their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and star striker Victor Osimhen have made it clear that their sights are firmly set on victory.
The team, fresh from a commanding 2-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali, arrived in Uyo on Saturday, determined to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Troost-Ekong, speaking after their arrival at the Victor Attah International Airport, dismissed any hopes Zimbabwe might have of pulling off a surprise result in Uyo.
“We read somewhere that the Zimbabweans are being motivated to come to Uyo and get a result. They should forget it. We are hugely motivated by the ambition to play at the FIFA World Cup,” the defender stated.
Having played a key role in Nigeria’s victory against Rwanda, Troost-Ekong highlighted the squad’s desire to compete on football’s biggest stage.
“Apart from myself and Alex (Iwobi) and perhaps a couple others, who were part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, this generation is hungry to play at the highest level. We want to make Nigeria proud and at the same time, do ourselves proud,” he emphasized.
Echoing his captain’s determination, Osimhen made it clear that every remaining fixture in the qualifiers is a battle the team must win at all costs.
“We are ready. The remaining matches are wars and we must fight them with all that we have to win,” the Napoli striker declared.
Troost-Ekong also reflected on the team’s performance against Rwanda, describing it as a bold statement in their qualification journey.
“It was important to make the statement that we did, and we’re all happy about it, and the way we did it. Of course, we have not qualified and there’s still a lot of work, but we have started the recovery in a good way and we just have to keep working hard,” he explained.
While Osimhen’s brace was the highlight of the game, the skipper stressed the importance of teamwork over individual brilliance.
“It is not about individual performances. The win against Rwanda was a testament to the team’s hard work and dedication. Everyone played their part, and it is this unity that will drive us forward,” he said.
Troost-Ekong also commended debutants Tolu Arokodare and Alhassan Yusuf for their impressive displays, noting that Yusuf performed admirably despite playing out of position.
Additionally, he praised new head coach Eric Chelle, who secured his first win with the squad despite having minimal time to prepare.
“We try to understand what the coach wants from us. We have only had two training sessions and lots of video sessions too. Today’s win is a glimpse of what we should expect under Coach Eric Chelle,” he remarked.
The captain, who has been part of the national team setup for a decade, reflected on his journey, highlighting Osimhen and Ademola Lookman as some of the finest attacking talents in world football today.
A win against Zimbabwe on Tuesday will propel Nigeria to nine points, strengthening their position in the race for World Cup qualification, particularly if South Africa and Benin Republic play to a stalemate in Abidjan.
