SAN FRANCISCO, May 31, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Wednesday left for London, where they take on England in a friendly this weekend as part of their final preparations for the World Cup in Russia.
Before they left, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo met the squad of 25 and senior officials in at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The President charged the Super Eagles to make the country proud at the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting on June 14 in Russia.
He said: “We look up to you to make us proud.”
Noting that Super Eagles is one of the least experienced teams in the tournament, the President urged the players to take advantage of Nigerians’ support.
Buhari reminded the players they carry the emotions of 180 million Nigerians each time they go out to the pitch to play adding that nothing unites Nigeria more than football.
The Captain of the team, Mikel Obi, said: “All we have to do now is to go out there and make the country proud and come back with the trophy.”
The players will be joined in England by Chelsea midfielder Victor Moses, who was given an extended break after a hectic season with the Premier League side.
Injury doubt Moses Simon, from Belgian side Gent, was on the flight and will have a third scan to determine the extent of a hamstring injury he suffered recently in training.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has dropped four players from his provisional 30-man squad: goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye, defenders Stephen Eze and Uche Agbo, and forward Junior Lokosa.
Rohr will eventually whittle down the squad to 23 after the match at Wembley on Saturday.
The Super Eagles is due to attend a final training camp in Austria and a final friendly against the Czech Republic on June 6, before heading to Russia on June 11.
The three-time African champions have been drawn in Group D with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland. Their first game is on June 16 against Croatia in Kaliningrad.
