2025 AFCON: Yobo Advises Super Eagles’ To Avoid Slow Start

By Amaechi Agbo

Abuja – Former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo has said it is important for the team to have a good start at 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Yobo, who captained the Super Eagles to AFCON glory at South Africa 2013, declared that a good start will help the team go all the way in the competition.

The three-time African champions have been drawn in Group C with Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania.

“A good start is very important. The first two games are very important. It is very, very crucial,” Yobo told ESPN.

The Super Eagles will begin their campaign against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in Fez on Tuesday, December 23.

Eric Chelle’s side will take on Tunisia in their second group game four days later.

They will round up their group stage campaign against the Cranes of Uganda on Tuesday, December 30.

The former Fenerbahce player believes that the Nigerian national team building on their existing chemistry and past performances will be crucial in the upcoming tournament in Morocco

Speaking in an interview reported by journalist Ojora Babatunde, Yobo, who featured in the 2025 AFCON draw, spotlighted the strength of the current Super Eagles squad.

“We have a huge crop of young players that have actually been together for a long time. So I don’t think that the understanding is a problem for them,” said the former Everton defender.

“We’ve shown that at the last AFCON 2024, we got to the finals. We were very unlucky not to win [against Cote d’Ivoire]. So if we can build on that momentum and take it further, then I think we can get to the finals and hopefully win it this time again,” he added.

Nigeria’s three previous AFCON victories came in 1980, 1994, and 2013. With this, the Super Eagles are determined to end their 12-year title drought in the 2025 tournament.

Eric Chelle is currently the head coach of the squad, although, yet to debut for the squad, will be hoping to lead the squad to victory in Morocco 2025