Former Nigerian international Tijani Babangida has backed the Super Eagles to mount a serious title challenge at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations but insists their success will hinge on whether the midfield finally finds stability and creativity.
Babangida, speaking to Tribal Football, expressed admiration for Nigeria’s wealth of attacking options, describing the frontline featuring Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, and Umar Sadiq as one of the most dangerous on the continent.
“On paper our attack is unbelievable.” — Babangida
“Having Osimhen, Boniface, Sadiq, Lookman, and Chukwueze appears to be very good on paper,” he said, noting that Nigeria’s forwards have all the tools required to trouble any defence at the tournament.
However, Babangida was quick to highlight a long-standing issue within the Super Eagles setup: a lack of fluidity and invention in midfield.
Midfield remains Nigeria’s Achilles heel
According to him, the recent friendly against Congo exposed major structural problems in the middle of the park.
“I still remember the game against Congo. The midfield of the Super Eagles was very poor, and there was no supply of balls to the attackers from the second half,” he said.
He noted that Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi were pinned back into overly defensive roles, while the fullbacks were forced to spend most of the match protecting their own half instead of contributing to forward play.
For Babangida, Nigeria’s AFCON ambitions will rise or fall on how well the midfield unit is rebuilt.
“Super Eagles need a very strong midfield to bring out the best in the attackers,” he warned.
New faces offer a glimmer of hope
Despite his concerns, the former Ajax winger is optimistic about the recent introduction of new midfielders by head coach Eric Chelle. He believes they can provide the dynamism and balance Nigeria has been lacking.
“I think new midfielders invited by Chelle can make the midfield very strong in the tournament,” he added.
Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania as they aim for their fourth AFCON crown. Newcomers such as Pisa’s Ebenezer Akinsanmiro are expected to bring fresh energy to a squad still dealing with the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
For Babangida, the message is clear: Nigeria’s attackers can win AFCON, but only if the midfield finally rises to the moment.
