I was impressed with the Players' performance - Former Super Eagles star says Nigeria squad can rival world’s best

Former Nigerian international Friday Ekpo has expressed strong confidence in the quality of the current Super Eagles squad, insisting the team can compete with the best sides in world football.

Ekpo’s assessment follows Nigeria’s impressive outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the three-time African champions finished third after defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties in the bronze medal match.

Speaking in an interview with Completesports.com, Ekpo praised the Super Eagles for their fluid movement, sharp transitions, and overall tactical discipline throughout the tournament.

“The AFCON 2025 brought out the best from the Super Eagles as their movement and transition of play were so exceptional,” Ekpo said.

While acknowledging the narrow semi-final exit against Morocco, which ended in a penalty shootout defeat, the former international maintained that the team delivered consistently strong performances.

“Except for the Morocco game, where the Super Eagles lost on penalties, I was generally impressed with the performance of the players in all the matches that they played,” he added.

Ekpo also highlighted Nigeria’s attacking strength, singling out Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, and Akor Adams for their impact at the tournament.

According to him, the trio’s pace, movement, and finishing ability made life difficult for defenders across Africa.

“The Super Eagles attack was also something that gave me joy because the attacking trio of Lookman, Osimhen and Akor scored brilliant goals at the tournament,” he said.

Buoyed by the team’s overall display, Ekpo concluded that the current generation of Super Eagles has the quality and depth to challenge elite teams beyond the African continent.

“There is no doubt that the current Eagles can compete with any team in the world,” he declared.