Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey has expressed confidence in the team’s chances of winning the 2025 African Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, SportPremi reports.
The 35th edition of Africa’s biennial football competition commences later tomorrow in Morocco, as Nigeria compete with 23 other nations for a shot at glory.
The Super Eagles reached the final of the 2023 edition held in Ivory Coast, but suffered an agonizing 2-1 defeat to the host nation in the final match of the tournament.
They had previously come close to winning a first title since 2013, when they reached the last four in 2019, although they ended up with the bronze medal at that edition.
Further heartbreak followed in the past month, as the three-time African champions failed in their bid to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking a second successive absence at the showpiece event.
A second placed finish behind South Africa had secured a spot in the CAF playoffs to determine Africa’s representative at the intercontinental playoffs, and Nigeria looked poised to pick up the ticket after defeating Gabon in the first round.
However, they failed to win against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final, suffering defeat on penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes of action.
The 2025 AFCON offers a form of redemption, as they hope to put an end to their recent struggles with a title-winning performance.
Bassey Tips Nigeria to Win AFCON
Calvin Bassey, who is expected to play a key role at the tournament for the Super Eagles, remains confident in the quality of players selected by head coach Eric Chelle for the tournament.
Speaking in an interview alongside teammates Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze, the Fulham center-back believes Nigeria can seal their fourth title in Morocco.
“Yeah 100%. I think the last AFCON I was 23. I have matured and a lot of the team have matured and we have gained a lot of experience. So, it would be good for the team and Alex different roles now, he is becoming more of the leadership role”, Bassey revealed.
What Iwobi said
“Basically, what he is trying to say is that anywhere you go, you always want to improve, so the only way we can improve is by winning it,” Iwobi added.
What Chukwueze said
“So the first one was third place, the second one was Round of 16, and the third one was, I hope the fourth one, Calvin Bassey will help us, if he decides to pass the ball to me, I think we will win it,” the Fulham winger continued.
Nigeria will be eyeing a perfect start when they begin their campaign against Tanzania on the 23rd, as they seek to win a first continental crown since 2013.
