Zimbabwe coach Michael Nees: Super Eagles and one other team are Africa's best in attack

Zimbabwe endured a challenging 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of Group C with just five points and failing to record a single victory in ten matches.

While South Africa clinched the group's automatic World Cup berth, the Super Eagles were indirectly aided by Zimbabwe. 

Matches involving the Warriors were excluded from the calculation used to determine the ranking of runners-up, a factor that ultimately favoured the three-time African champions.

Despite boasting one of the most talented attacking units on the continent, Nigeria managed only 15 goals across the qualifiers, with Victor Osimhen contributing six of those. 

Their tally was outscored by fifteen nations, including Egypt, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, Madagascar and Mali.

Looking ahead, Zimbabwe coach Michael Nees is already turning his attention to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where the Warriors will compete in a formidable group alongside Egypt, South Africa, and Angola.

The German tactician lauded Egypt and Nigeria as the two most potent attacking sides in Africa.

Reflecting on the strength of the opposition the Warriors face in their Africa Cup of Nations group, Nees said at the post-match press conference after his side's loss to Lesotho: "We are in a very difficult group. We have South Africa, very strong, we saw last Friday. We managed to hold them.

"Egypt with Nigeria the best attacking team in Africa. Angola very dangerous team.

"Every team that plays at the Afcon wants to go to the second round. I don't think there's any team that goes there to play three games and go home."

Egypt's Mohamed Salah, who finished as the second-highest goalscorer in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with nine goals, will once again be expected to spearhead the Pharaohs' attack in Morocco.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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