Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, has expressed his belief that the Super Eagles possess incredible talent and potential to be a dominant footballing nation. However, he points out that they have not reached their full potential, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
Nigeria, who will host Sao Tome and Principe in their final Africa Cup of Nations Group A match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, has a rich football history, having won the AFCON three times and reaching the finals seven times. They also achieved gold in men’s football at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as silver in the Beijing Olympics and bronze in the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Despite these global achievements, Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal coach, considers the Super Eagles to be underachievers given the abundant talent available.
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“Nigeria has incredible talent but they are the great underachievers of world football,” Wenger stated.
Wenger’s impact on Nigerian players extends beyond the soccer field, as noted by his former player Nwankwo Kanu:
“Wenger is not just a football coach. He’s a man who knows we are all human beings before footballers. And that’s why he was able to affect the lives of so many people positively.”
Wenger made history by setting a new English transfer record for an African player when he signed Kanu from Inter Milan for £4.5 million. Additionally, he provided Alex Iwobi with his debut at Arsenal, giving the Nigerian player a breakthrough opportunity in a Carabao Cup fourth-round match against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough Stadium.
