“Africa should be talking about winning the World Cup” – AFCON-winning Super Eagles assistant coach urges African teams to step up

AFCON-winning Super Eagles assistant coach, Sylvanus Okpala has urged African National teams to bring the World Cup to the continent, Soccernet.ng reports.

Okpala, 62, won the African Cup of Nations title as a player with the Super Eagles in 1980 and was a part of Stephen Keshi’s coaching crew when Nigeria won the 2013 edition of the tournament in South Africa.

“Getting to the semifinals of the World Cup is no longer news in Africa because Morocco got to the semifinals in the last World Cup. I think Africa should be talking about winning the World Cup. It is the same football; the difference is the mentality,” the former Maritimo man said in quotes revealed by Score Nigeria.

Okpala started his career in the Nigerian league with Enugu Rangers but believes the training that Nigerian players receive abroad is the same as their counterparts from other countries, therefore, the quality of their output should be similar.

“Our players are based abroad and most of them are playing against each other, either in the Italian league or so on, so they get the same training, so when we are going to the World Cup, we should be thinking about winning the World Cup,” He added.

The Super Eagles are still without a head coach despite having games against Ghana and Mali during this month’s International break.