Flying Eagles Captain Bameyi Targets History at 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup
Flying Eagles skipper Daniel Bameyi has declared that Nigeria will be aiming for nothing short of the trophy at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, TalkTalk Nigeria reports.
Nigeria, six-time African champions at the U-20 level, have come close on two occasions—finishing runners-up in 1989 and 2005, losing to Portugal and Argentina respectively. Their most recent campaign in Argentina 2023 ended in disappointment, as they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by South Korea.
Speaking after the team’s first training session in Santiago, Bameyi expressed confidence that this squad can finally break the jinx.
“It still hurts to be eliminated by Korea in the quarterfinal in 2023 and now we want to do better,” Bameyi said.
“The spirit in the team is high and we will use the friendlies (against Chile and Australia) to assess ourselves and also get to know what to expect. We want to make history.”
Aliyu Zubairu’s men have been drawn into Group F alongside Norway, Colombia, and Saudi Arabia. They will begin their campaign against Norway on Monday, September 29.
Opinion: Can the Flying Eagles Finally Break the Curse?
The Flying Eagles have long been the nearly men of youth football. Twice they have stood on the cusp of glory, only to be denied by European and South American powerhouses. For a country blessed with raw football talent, Nigeria’s failure to clinch the U-20 World Cup remains one of the sport’s enduring puzzles.
This 2025 squad, however, feels different. The hunger expressed by Bameyi is telling, and with Zubairu at the helm, there seems to be a renewed sense of discipline and tactical maturity. The friendlies against Chile and Australia will provide early clues about the team’s cohesion, but what stands out most is the mentality—this is a group determined to write history, not just repeat it.
Of course, the road won’t be easy. Colombia and Norway boast technically gifted squads, while Saudi Arabia can never be underestimated on this stage. But if the Flying Eagles combine their traditional flair with composure in decisive moments, Chile 2025 could be the tournament where Nigeria finally trades heartbreak for triumph.
