Daniel Amokachi, former Nigeria international, has expressed optimism that the Super Eagles are good enough to lift the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
In an interview with BBC, the former Assistant coach of the Super Eagles said the Nigerian team can lift the trophy, if they have a change of mentality.
Amokachi said African teams must aspire to challenge for the World Cup rather than just participate in the tournament.
He said, “Will Nigeria get out of that group (2018 World Cup Group D)? Yes. Will Nigeria go far in the World Cup? Yes. Will Nigeria be able to win the World Cup? Yes.
“Africans have to start believing. They have to go past that stage of “your country got to the Second Round, your country got to the Quarter-finals”. No, I’m going to a major tournament to go and win it.
“If we had that mentality, we will go a very long way. And that was what killed us when we were there in 1994, that’s what killed Cameroon when they were there in 1990 and that’s what killed Senegal in 2002. Because they are just going there to have fun instead of “we are going there to win it”.
This year’s edition of the FIFA World Cup will be Super Eagles sixth appearance since debuting in the United States, US, in 1994.