Jose Peseiro speaks on Super Eagles AFCON ambition, Salah's Egypt, links with Zamalek job 

Jose Peseiro's final 25-man squad list for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations was unveiled by the Nigeria Football Federation on Friday. 

The Portuguese football tactician has reiterated that his goal is to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, which would see him rewarded with a new deal if the target is achieved. 

Peseiro was heavily criticized in the wake of the Super Eagles' poor start to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with back-to-back draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, but the Nigerian Federation have given him the chance to coach the Super Eagles at the AFCON.  

The 63-year-old has spoken about his experience with the Nigerian national team in an interview with the Egyptian press. 

"My experience with the Nigerian national team is very good. Being part of African and Nigerian football is an interesting thing, and I cannot deny that.” he said to KORAPLUS.

"I told everyone that I wanted to win the Africa Cup of Nations from the first moment I signed the contract with the Nigerian national team, and we study our opponents well in order to win, and this is what we seek to achieve.

"I expect strong and difficult competition in the current edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, and the teams that participate are all distinguished and want to win the title."

Egypt's national team coach Rui Vitoria revealed his final roster for the AFCON on Saturday with the squad headlined by Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. 

Commenting on the Pharaohs, Peseiro said: "There are many strong teams that are candidates to win the AFCON, such as the Egyptian national team, which is the best in the continent of Africa, and I believe that it is a candidate to win the current version of the AFCON."

Peseiro's name has been linked with the coaching job at Zamalek following the dismissal of Colombian manager Juan Carlos Osorio.

Regarding the possibility of coaching in the Egyptian League again, the former Al Ahly manager said: "I still follow the Egyptian League, but now I am a coach for the Eagles and my goal is to focus on the African Cup of Nations."

The 2023 AFCON will begin in Ivory Coast on January 13 with twenty-four countries participating in the tournament. 

Nigeria are in Group A, which also includes the host nation Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. 

Igho Kingsley 

Copyright ANS

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from allnigeriasoccer.com