Flying Eagles Coach Pledges Squad Revamp for U-20 World Cup

The Head Coach of Nigeria’s U-20 National Team, the Flying Eagles, Aliyu Zubairu, has vowed to strengthen his squad ahead of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. After finishing third at the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Egypt, Zubairu acknowledged the team’s struggles, particularly in scoring goals.

Speaking at the Kwara SWAN Hard Talk at the Taiwo Awoniyi Media Sports Centre in Ilorin, Zubairu said, “We’ll be inviting more players to bolster all departments. We must fix the issues we saw at the AFCON, especially our finishing.” He emphasized the need for improvement, despite the team’s qualification for the World Cup.

The Flying Eagles will face a tough challenge in Group F of the U-20 World Cup in Chile, alongside Colombia, Saudi Arabia, and Norway. Their opening fixture against Norway is scheduled for September 29 at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca. The tournament will run from September 27 to October 19, 2025.

Zubairu expressed his determination to lead the team to greater heights, saying, “Though we narrowly missed the AFCON title, qualifying for the World Cup is a huge achievement. Now, we must look ahead and do even better.” With the revamped squad, the Flying Eagles aim to make a strong impression on the global stage.