Frank Onyeka wants Nigeria to carry a positive mindset into their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign: win every game, starting with Madagascar on Friday.
The Coventry City midfielder addressed reporters during a media parley in Uyo, days before the Super Eagles open Group L play at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. His message left little room for interpretation.
Just like every other match that we’ll be playing, we have to win every game,” Onyeka said. “I know we’re quite disappointed not to qualify for the World Cup, but now we’re back. We have something to prepare for, which is the AFCON next year.”
Onyeka was careful to balance that ambition with a warning against complacency.
Nigeria’s history with Madagascar, headlined by that infamous 2-0 defeat at the 2019 AFCON, is reason enough for the squad to take nothing for granted.
So, I guess we’ll take every game as it comes, but for us, we want to win this game, especially when we’re playing on our own ground,” he said.
“We don’t underestimate anything. We focus only on ourselves. We don’t focus on the opponent. So, we have to play well to win. That’s what we are focusing on: to play well and win.”
Onyeka’s comments come with the World Cup disappointment still fresh in the background. Nigeria’s failure to reach the 2026 tournament put real pressure on Chelle’s project, and there’s little tolerance left for a shaky start to a new campaign, particularly one where only a single qualifying spot from Group L is up for grabs alongside co-hosts Tanzania.
