AFCON 2023: Will Ahmed Musa emulate Stephen Keshi and Joseph Yobo?

Yobo and Keshi won the AFCON as captains, and Musa seems to be treading that path

In two of the three times that the Super Eagles have won the Africa Cup of Nations trophy, there has been a coincidental occurrence. The official captains of the teams on both occasions were not fully active during the competition.

In the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Tunisia, former Super Eagles boss Stephen Keshi captained the team, and they emerged victorious. However, out of the five games, the late Keshi made two appearances, both of which were off the bench. Keshi was not even available for the final because of an injury.

Fast forward to the 2013 AFCON which Nigeria won, Joseph Yobo played a more important role, albeit he did not start any game.

Yobo was usually introduced in the dying minutes of Nigeria’s games to shore up their defense. He played in all Nigeria’s games on the road to the final. Eventually, the Super Eagles won the tournament.

This year, in Ivory Coast, Ahmed Musa seems to to be treading the same path. The former Leicester City man is treading the same path. Musa has not kicked a ball at the AFCON, but he has always made the bench. And according to Peseiro, the 31-year-old is his “assistant”.

Ordinarily, Musa would not have made the team, but he was selected because of his experience. Aside from Kenneth Omeruo, Musa is the only surviving member of the team that won the AFCON in 2013.

With the final of the AFCON set for Sunday, Musa will likely remain on the bench. However, he will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Keshi and Yobo and become the third Super Eagles captain to win the AFCON from the bench.