Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and talisman Victor Osimhen have issued a stern warning to Zimbabwe ahead of their crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier scheduled for Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
“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,” Troost-Ekong said as the team arrived at the Victor Attah International Airport on Saturday.
The defender, who was instrumental in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, emphasised the hunger within the squad to reach 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 told thenff.com.
Osimhen echoed his captain’s fighting spirit at the Victor Attah Airport, saying, “We are ready. The remaining matches are wars and we must fight them with all that we have to win.”
Ekong also expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance against Rwanda, describing it as a statement of intent in their World Cup qualification campaign.
“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 stated.
While acknowledging Osimhen’s impressive brace that secured the crucial win, the skipper insisted on celebrating the collective effort rather than 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,” Troost-Ekong said.
He lauded the contributions of debutant Tolu Arokodare and Alhassan Yusuf, who he noted played out of position but still delivered a commendable performance.
The defender also praised new head coach Eric Chelle, who secured his first win despite having limited time with the squad.
“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 added.
Troost-Ekong, who ranked Osimhen among the world’s top attackers alongside teammate Ademola Lookman, attributed the highlight of his career to being part of the national team over the past decade, during which he had the privilege of learning from numerous captains.
Victory on Tuesday will take Nigeria to nine points, putting them in firm contention for the ticket, especially if Benin Republic and South Africa cancel each other out in their fixture inside Abidjan’s Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny.
