National teams will excel in 2025 – NFF Chairman Gusau
By Olaolu Joseph
The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau MON, on Monday assured football fans, administrators, and Nigerians that the football-governing body will adequately prepare the various national teams to bring joy and glory to the nation in 2025.
Reflecting on 2024 and projecting for 2025, Gusau, elated by the Super Eagles’ emphatic qualification for the 8th African Nations Championship after defeating Ghana’s Black Galaxies, emphasized that the NFF’s focus is on thorough preparation of all national teams to compete credibly at major tournaments, rather than merely participating.
“The era of Nigerian teams attending major championships just to participate is over,” Gusau said.
“Our objective now is to ensure our teams are strong contenders for honors anywhere, and this can only be achieved through proper preparation well in advance of qualifiers and competitions. For example, I personally ensured that the Super Eagles B began their camping early, and the results are evident in their performance against Ghana.
“With just one month to the CHAN tournament, the team must immediately resume camp, and we will provide the necessary support.”
Gusau acknowledged some impressive performances by the national teams in 2024 but admitted that the Super Eagles’ underwhelming start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been concerning for administrators, enthusiasts, and fans alike.
“Our priority is to rebuild the Super Eagles squad that made the nation proud at the AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, where they came within 23 minutes of lifting the trophy. If we can achieve this, winning the six remaining matches in the qualifiers to secure automatic qualification for the World Cup will be realistic.
“Securing that World Cup ticket will also set the tone for an outstanding performance at the AFCON in Morocco later in the year.”
The NFF chairman further assured that the Super Falcons, who ended 2024 as Africa’s top-ranked team, will receive adequate preparation to reclaim the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco next summer.
“We are organizing more friendly matches for the team to blend experienced and new players into a formidable squad capable of conquering Africa in style,” Gusau added.
He also commended the junior women’s national teams, the Falconets and Flamingos, for their performances at various FIFA World Cup tournaments in 2024.
He urged them to view 2025 as an opportunity to consolidate their achievements, especially with the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup becoming an annual event.
“The Flamingos have immense potential to dominate the world. I’ve watched their games and seen exceptional talents, some of whom could already compete in the Super Falcons. We aim for them to bring home the U17 Women’s World Cup title for the first time in Morocco. The Falconets, on the other hand, must focus on their qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.”
Gusau concluded by highlighting the NFF’s commitment to working closely with the National Sports Commission to achieve its goals, attract greater corporate support, and develop football at the grassroots.
“Our focus will remain on strengthening the player development pipeline to ensure a steady flow of talent into the national teams while advancing the game across all levels,” he said.
