Three-time African champions Nigeria will enter the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast with their performance under huge doubt, despite the Super Eagles carrying the tag of the team with the highest value at €349m (R7bn), according to Transfermarkt.com.
That is mainly due to Africa’s footballer of the year Victor Osimhen whose €110m (R2bn) in value exceeds that of any player on show at the Afcon.
Nigeria owe their country a great deal after performing poorly at the last tournament in Cameroon, where they were surprise last 16 casualties after losing 1-0 to Tunisia.
Despite being ranked among the top five favourites to win in Ivory Coast, coach Jose Peserio comes to the tournament under severe pressure after his side lost at home to Guinea-Bissau in the final 2023 Afcon qualifier, and also failed to beat Lesotho and Zimbabwe in their opening 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers late last year.
On paper, Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast should cruise to the last 16 as they face lowly ranked teams in Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in Group A. Though missing Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface and Everton midfielder Wilfred Ndidi due to injuries, the Super Eagles still have a formidable squad.
Alongside midfielder Alex Iwobi (Fulham) and fellow strikers Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor), Osimhen is expected to lead Nigeria’s attempt to win Afcon for the fourth time.
With his squad rated the most expensive in the tournament, Peserio will have no excuse to underperform in Ivory Coast.
Last appearance: Last 16
Previous appearances (19): 1963, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2019, 2021
Best performance: Winners 1980, 1994, 2013
In Group A with Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau
