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Ahead of Friday's official draw, Nigeria are in Pot 3 alongside Japan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Honduras, and Fiji.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have broken its silence on the Flying Eagles' performance at the concluded Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, stating emphatically the bronze-medal finish was not its expectation.
Nigeria's football governing body voiced its displeasure in a communique from an executive committee meeting held at the NFF secretariat on Monday, April 17.
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13:42 - 14.03.2023
U-20 AFCON Flying Eagles boss Bosso gives excuse for failure to win tournament
The U-20 tournament which was wrapped up last Saturday, saw Nigeria place third following a 4-0 victory over Tunisia.
NFF give Flying Eagles target
The Flying Eagles - Africa's record U-20 champions, failed to make the final of the continental age-grade competition in March, losing 1-0 to The Gambia in the semifinal, before defeating Tunisia 4-0 to finish third place match.
However, the NFF revealed that the team led by Ladan Bosso, returned to Nigeria with a result they far expected.
"While asseverating that the bronze-medal performance of the U20 Boys, Flying Eagles at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt was below-par, the Board exhorted the technical crew and the players to see it as a national duty to win the FIFA U20 World Cup for Nigeria when the tournament takes place in Argentina between 20 May and 11 June," Agenda 3 on NFF's April 17, 2023, communique read.
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13:30 - 07.04.2023
MYTHBUSTER Were the Flying Eagles robbed in that 2005 final against Argentina?
Mythbuster is a series that critically fact-checks preconceived footballing notions and myths. This edition examines whether the Flying Eagles were hard done by in the World Youth Championship decider 18 years back.
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23:57 - 20.04.2023
What you need to know ahead of Friday's U-20 World Cup draw including possible Flying Eagles opponents
Nigeria will be one of 24 teams to participate in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Flying Eagles to know opponent on Friday
Despite the third-place finish at the U-20 AFCON, Nigeria will be one of 24 teams to participate in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup to hold in Argentina from May 20 to June 11.
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What the NFF directive means is that the Flying Eagles will, have to go one better than they did at the 1989 and 2005 tournaments where they lost in the finals to Portugal and Argentina, respectively.
Ahead of Friday's official draw, Nigeria are in Pot 3 alongside Japan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Honduras, and Fiji.
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