AFCON 2023: Super Eagles will win the trophy – Kanu

Nigerian football legend Nwankwo Kanu has stated that the Super Eagles will win the 2023 CAF African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Kanu, a two-time African Footballer of the Year in 1996 and 1999, stated this in a video released on his X account on Wednesday.

In the video, he asserted that the Nigerian football team, which is scheduled for a semi-final match against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on Wednesday (today), would advance to the final and win the tournament.

The Arsenal legend, popularly called ‘Papilo,’ stated, “I told you from the beginning, from the first game, to believe and trust.”

“The boys have done us proud. Semifinals, here we come. I told you we were going to be in the finals, and we were going to win this tournament. Pray for them, support them, and wish them the best of luck.”

The nation’s football hero charges Coach Jose Peseiro to reclaim the trophy, which was last won in 2019.

“This is our cup. It’s coming back home. Come on, Super Eagles! Come on, you can do this! It is remaining only two games, history to be made,” he said.

The Stade de la Paix in Bouake will host Wednesday’s semi-final match.

This is the Super Eagles and South Africa’s fourth tournament meeting, with the Eagles winning the previous three games.

The Super Eagles defeated Cameroon 2-0 in the Round of 16.

After that, the team defeated Angola by a single goal in the quarterfinals before moving on to the semi-finals.

The Bafana Bafana boys triumphed 2-0 in their round-of-16 match against Morocco, last year’s World Cup semi-finalist, before defeating Cape Verde 2-1 in penalty shootouts.

South African defender Neil Tovey, who led the 1996 title-winning team, told AFP in a phone interview from the South African port city of Durban that the match against Nigeria will be difficult.