News Investigators/ Former Super Eagles midfielder, Edema Fuludu , says the pairing of Nigeria with Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania in Group C of 2025 AFCON does not mean the Super Eagles will have an easy ride.
Mr Fuludu issued the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)on Wednesday in Lagos.
Mr Fuludu , a member of the Super Eagles squad that won the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia ,said those jubilating over the pairing should know that Eagles’ opponents in the group were strong teams.
He said that that the texture of football had changed greatly and that there were no more minnows in football.
Mr Fuludu urged the Super Eagles to prepare for a big fight as the other teams would want to prove a point.
“Nigeria’s group is not easy at all. Why do we have to call it an easy group is it because we have more than enough professionals?
“I must say, football has changed a lot, let us be prepared, while It is on paper that Nigeria is a football powerhouse in Africa and in the group, we can’t be too sure of what other have under their sleeves.
“Give or take many have tipped Nigeria and Tunisia to get the job done and qualify from Group C neglecting other countries.
“Nowadays, football has gone way farther than that, it now depends on the preparations before the competition,” he said.
Mr Fuludu, a former coach of Warri Wolves added that adequate preparations could only be a panacea to give the Super Eagles edge at the 35th AFCON to be held in Dec. 2025 and Jan. 2026.
“We can only get the job done through adequate preparations and if not, we will be shocked.
“Group C is not an easy group as far as I am concerned, maybe we need to take the match one after the other and if we are able to win the first two matches, then we will qualify and if not, we are heading for surprises.
“After the group qualifications, then we will know where we are heading. The objective must be to win the AFCON this time around, we need that cup and that is what we should be striving for.
“The thing is that, on paper we have lots of quality players who are dominating, but they must come together and agree to play as a team because these crop of players have lost matches we didn’t believe that they will lose, ” he said.
Mr Fuludu added: “The team should be ready to play. That is why I am emphasizing adequate preparations ahead which is the key and the mindset.
“If the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) give them what they want in terms of technical support, financial renumeration am sure we can come out good but if we take it for granted, we will have ourselves to blame.
“Maybe by right, Nigeria is supposed to top the group but things about football are not predictable.
“The objective of the newly appointed coach of the Super Eagles Eric Chelle is to qualify us for the World Cup which will be the toughest part of his contract in the six games remaining.
“The Super Eagles needs strong technical support this time around, financial support and emotional support to achieve our goals. We have players but the team behind the scene should do what is right,” he concluded.
NAN reports that the 35th AFCON will be held from Dec. 21, 2025 and ends on Jan. 18, 2026, which presents some form of unique competition.
The 35th AFCON will be the first ever Africa’s most watched football competition to start in a particular year and run into another year.
Morocco will play host to Africa again since hosting the 1988 tournament that was won by Cameroon.
The North African country was handed the hosting right for the 2015 finals, but ducked at the eleventh hour in the midst of the ebola scare across some nations in the continent.
NAN
