As the Super Eagles prepare for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches in June, Leicester City and Super Eagles of Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has discussed the team’s mindset and the challenges facing new head coach George Finidi.
In an interview with Arise TV on Monday, Ndidi emphasized the significance of the upcoming games. “Yeah, the games are really important because we know where we stand at the moment. It’s not a good position, to be honest. We should be honest with ourselves.”
He stressed that the team must approach every opponent with utmost seriousness. “As long as you’re in that group, you want to qualify, so there are no small countries or small teams.”
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The Leicester City star highlighted the pressure on the team given their current standing in the qualifiers.
“Where we are at the moment gives us more pressure, because these games are must-win games. I’m not saying we will win the game but I’m saying they are must-win games because we don’t know what’s going to happen. It all boils down to us as a team because we know what is at hand and we need to get as much as we can in these two games just to go up there,” Ndidi said.
Turning his attention to the new head coach, George Finidi, who previously served as an assistant to former manager Jose Peseiro, Ndidi acknowledged the magnitude of the task ahead for the former international.
“I would say congratulations to him because he’s been part of the team for months now. I think him coming into that role as a manager is a big one for him.”
Ndidi recounted the challenges Finidi faced during the team’s friendly matches against Ghana and Mali in Morocco, where he had to handle multiple responsibilities without adequate support.
“But you know when we played in the friendly game in Morocco against Ghana and Mali, I really felt bad for him because he was alone and there was no assistant, no one to help him.
He was basically conducting the training, doing the tactics, even during games and conducting the warm-up. I think, seeing him go through all this and still be confident with the team, is amazing. With a little help from others, I think he’s going to do well,” Ndidi said.
Nigeria currently sits third in Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, behind Rwanda and South Africa. Having played two games, Nigeria has drawn both.
Finidi, who was unveiled in his new appointment to the media in Abuja on May 13, wasted no time in laying out his immediate priorities—two crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin early next month. Nigeria will play South Africa on June 7 and Benin on June 10.
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