January 31, (THEWILL) – The stunning elimination of the top five African teams in the FIFA rankings from the 2024 Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON), has put the tournament wide open, greatly boosting three-time champions Nigeria’s chances of lifting the trophy again.
Morocco (13th), Senegal (20), Tunisia (28), Algeria (30) and Egypt (33), were all shockingly knocked out in the group stage and round of 16, paving the way for the Super Eagles to mount a strong challenge. Currently ranked 6th in Africa and 42nd in the world, Nigeria now finds itself as the highest-ranked remaining side.
Drawn against Angola in the quarter-finals, Nigeria will be strong favourites to progress having won the tournament in 1980, 1994 and 2013 previously. However, the Super Eagles will need to be more clinical in attack and take their goal-scoring chances if they are to have any hopes of securing a 4th AFCON prize.
With the top sides out and their own formidable credentials, the belief will be growing that Nigeria has a prime opportunity to recapture former glories and lift the AFCON 2024 trophy.
After a drab draw against Equatorial Guinea in the first round of matches, few would have predicted Nigeria as potential champions. Yet, with the favourites eliminated early, the door now looks open for the Super Eagles to go all the way.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
