World Cup qualifiers: Super Eagles must win against Rwanda, Zimbabwe – Lookman
By Olaolu Joseph
As Nigerians eagerly anticipate the Super Eagles’ crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, reigning African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, has emphasized that the team has no option but to win both matches.
The Nigerian national team, under new manager Eric Sekou Chelle, will face Rwanda in Kigali on Friday before taking on Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later.
Leading Nigeria’s charge for victory, the Atalanta forward is determined to secure maximum points, starting with Friday’s clash against Rwanda.
While looking forward to a strong performance in Kigali, the former Charlton Athletic, Everton, Leicester City, and Fulham winger—who also played for RB Leipzig in Germany—has set his sights on another win against Zimbabwe on Tuesday in Uyo.
Lookman stated, “We are looking to win our next two games. We play football to win, and we are working towards victory on Friday. That’s the mentality for everybody here. From the staff to the players, we all want to win.”
Having represented England at the youth level and been part of the Junior Lions squad that won the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup before switching allegiance to Nigeria in 2020, Lookman stressed the importance of beating Rwanda to boost the Super Eagles’ chances of qualifying for the first-ever World Cup to be co-hosted by three countries—Canada, the USA, and Mexico.
“Victory on Friday is the most important thing, and if we maintain a positive mindset, we can achieve it. We’ve been training together, we want to impose our quality, and we are working hard as a team. We should be able to get something positive from that,” Lookman added.
