“When the time comes” – Marseille midfielder talks up long-term Super Eagles’ ambitions

Super Eagles and Olympique Marseille midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi has weighed in on Nigeria’s long-term plans as they gear up for Saturday’s Unity Cup final against Jamaica, Soccernet.ng reports.

The three-time African champions will face their Caribbean opponents in the final of the four-nation tournament for a second consecutive year this weekend, after winning the last edition on penalties.

Nigeria, who have won every edition so far, are currently in a transition phase after recent disappointments. The Super Eagles have already missed out on two consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments, including next month’s edition in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, after they were beaten by DR Congo in the playoff final on penalties.

Head coach Eric Chelle handed debuts to several players in the 2-0 win over Zimbabwe on Tuesday. One of them, Femi Azeez, scored two brilliant goals to secure victory, while several others also impressed in what was a promising sign for Nigeria’s future.

Tochukwu Nnadi reveals Super Eagles’ long-term plans

Nigeria face Jamaica on Saturday, hoping to continue their dominance in the Unity Cup tournament which could set the tone for future success for the national team.

Since winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, the Super Eagles have struggled for consistency on the continent and also on the global stage. They failed to qualify for the next two editions of the AFCON and have since finished second once and third twice, including at the 2025 edition in Morocco.

With Nigeria preparing for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, several fresh faces have been integrated into the squad and expectations are high that the team could finally end their long trophy drought and win a first continental title in years.

Speaking in an interview, Olympique Marseille midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi, who delivered a strong midfield performance in the win over Zimbabwe, backed the team to win the Unity Cup and also revealed that the squad is ready to fight for trophies as they come, especially at the next AFCON tournament.

“We’re here to win the Unity Cup. I won’t say anything about the Poland and Portugal game. First, we get the job done here and then we see what happens”, Nnadi said in an interview on the Super Eagles official X account.

“This time we have to win everything and when the time comes we will fight. Last AFCON we had a great competition, but in the end we didn’t win but we came out third. This time, we have to fight and see if we can win the AFCON and hopefully we win more trophies for the Nigerian national team.”

Nigeria’s immediate focus is now on Saturday’s Unity Cup final against Jamaica, as they aim for a fourth consecutive title win at the tournament.

The Super Eagles will then face Poland and Portugal in two friendly matches next month, before turning their attention to qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to begin in September.