'You see the best' - Ex-Nigeria defender Elijah admits Super Eagles shine brightest when written off 

Former Super Eagles defender Sam Elijah has issued a warning to the Cheetahs of Benin not to underestimate Nigeria in their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo.

Nigeria, after finishing as runners-up in the 2023 AFCON tournament with a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast in the final, will be determined to go one step further and bring home their fourth AFCON trophy.

The journey towards that goal begins with a clash against Benin on Saturday, September 7, at 5 p.m. at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

Following this, Nigeria will face Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Tuesday, September 10. The Super Eagles are also grouped with Libya in Group D.

Ahead of Saturday’s match, Sam Elijah has cautioned Benin not to underestimate Nigeria based on their current form or their recent results.

The Super Eagles have struggled since the final of the 2023 AFCON tournament, failing to secure a win in their last three games across all competitions.

This stretch includes one draw and two losses, one of which was a defeat to the Cheetahs of Benin during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Abidjan in June.

In an interview with allnigeriasoccer.com, Elijah warned Benin against writing off the Super Eagles due to their current form, expressing confidence that Nigeria's players would rise to the occasion.

“Super Eagles can win the game. You know with the Super Eagles and Nigeria national team, anything can still happen," Elijah said.

"You see the best of the players when people write them off. So there is still a chance for the Super Eagles to qualify for the nations and even the World Cup."

The Super Eagles have been preparing for the qualifier under interim manager Austin Eguavoen, who took over after the Nigeria Football Federation failed to agree terms with German coach Bruno Labbadia.

Nigeria is keen to start their AFCON 2025 campaign with a victory and regain their winning form following a disappointing run of results. 

Adeyemi Adewale

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