Côte d’Ivoire football president, Yacine Idriss Diallo, has snubbed Nigeria’s Super Eagles as one of the favourites for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Eagles will begin their campaign at this year’s tournament in Group A alongside hosts Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Côte d’Ivoire will face the Eagles in their second group game on January 18 in Abidjan.
In an interview with FourFourTwo, Diallo named three countries who he believes will challenge for the trophy.
“I trust our team (Côte d’Ivoire) but we know that we are not favourite. The favourites are Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, all those teams,” Diallo said.
Also Read: AFCON 2023: Gusau Upbeat Super Eagles Will Rule Africa Again
“We’re building a new team. If you see our team now, I think 30% are very young, it’s their first competition. But we will try to bring a very good squad to be ready.
“So we will try to do our best to go as far as possible and try to win the trophy. This is why we are here.“
AFCON 2023 kicks off on January 13th, 2024, almost a decade on from the announcement that Côte d’Ivoire would be the hosts.
Commenting on the readiness of his country, Diallo believes everything is in place in terms of preparations.
“This event means a lot of things for our country, it’s a very important event. Since 2014, when it was decided that Ivory Coast would organise this competition, our country put in a lot of money.
“But more than money, we put our heart in this organisation. And now I can say that we’re ready. We’re really ready. I can say that.”
This is the second time Côte d’Ivoire would stage the AFCON since the 1984 edition.
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COMMENTS
After draws against Lesotho and the other lowly ranked team in WCQ why do we expect anyone to tip us? Huh we should focus on ourselves and let the players redeem themselves.
It is a honest prediction he made.He didn’t tip his country to win why will anyone tip a disjointed naija team to win the afcon ahead of those three nations he predicted.
Let the super chickens go and win it then they will be among the favorites to win the 2025 tourney.
Why did he not include the black stupid stars on the list? Oya, or they do not have stars in their team? lol
It’ s good to snub Super Eagles , this makes them to exert thier efforts to do well , then prove for thoes bad pundits versa right ; so I think Peseiro must change his style of play from vertical style to a Nigerian classic style of play just like playing with quick short passes, pressing on competitor by strict and strong defensive style as the passed vetern Stephen Keshi was playing or doing, play in depth or deep of attcking midfield so that SE can pass through balls to forwards to score goals, play crosses kicks on ground or over by wingers , so forwards as Osihmen or Sadiq Umar can head these crosses to the goal; Peseiro must chosse agile and strong goalkeeper I think just as Nwabili can do a good job than shaky and flopped Uzoho; Peseiro must put strong Oyibo so that center defence will be stronger and stronger than other time , I think Omuero and Troost Ekong can do this job or Ajayi and Bassey.
Too late for Peserio to be innovative, sir. Temper your expectations.
Pure psychology! Sheer mind games to deflate Nigeria and encourage his country. As hosts ivory Coast is nervous under pressure. Expect them to bribe referees! We shall soon find out how they handle pressure.
Omeruo and troost ekong! A recipe for disaster! I think Bassey and Omeruo should be the preferred option. Bassey a left footed centre back paired with omeruo, a right footed centre back will create the right balance. Also, Bassey is young and quick . He will be adequate cover for an ageing omeruo. Omeruo on the other hand is experienced, strong , good tackler and a leader at the back. A very good mix.
The spine of the team has to be osimhen, iwobi(in the absence of Ndidi) , Omeruo and Nwabali(If the knuckle head coach would use his head for the 1st time).
Bassey is always avoid the ball when on set pieces I hope he improves in that regard.
Apart from Calvin Bassey who incidentally is a center back,i don’t think we have another player that can make dangerous crosses into the box. Moses Simon crosses are often off-mark,Zaidu Sanusi may get one out of many crosses on target.
I’m not comfortable with the team list,and the coach tactics are easily read by the opposition. Let’s see how it goes.
to be favourite not always comes champion ,when you are not favourite it makes others teams over look you but it gives the underrate team eager to work hard to spring surprises
NIGERIA AND NIGERIANS ARE FUNNY SO YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO WANT TO BE INCLUDED AS FAVOURITES BUT CAN’T EVEN GET SOMETHING LIKE SIMPLE SQUAD SELECTION RIGHT???.. LOL FUNNY COUNTRY REALLY!
I don’t blame him. It is Pasero I blame.
But hold on, is it nor the same way Cote D’Ivore underrated us in 2013 but we beat them 2-1. Mr FA president, continue but it is Paseiro I really blame.
Sly Peseiro can do it if he does harness on Super Eagles mentality on training sessions on this week before the begining of the tournament in 13 january 2024, he can do it on SE friendly versus Guinea match on 8 january and Burkinafaso on 10 january 2024, changing style of play us an easy thing coaches can do on short period of time; also he can change formation of playing from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 or to 4-2-3-1.