President Buhari calls Eaglets, exhorts them to victory against Mali.

President Buhari calls Eaglets, exhorts them to victory against Mali.

President Buhari calls Eaglets, exhorts them to victory against Mali.

President Muhammadu Buhari on
Saturday spoke with the Golden Eaglets
and their officials, urging them to strive
for victory in the final of the Under-17
FIFA World Cup holding in Chile on
Sunday.
A statement issued in Abuja by the
president’s Special Adviser on Media
and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said
President Buhari spoke with the Eaglets
and their officials for about 25 minutes.
Nigeria first won the same tournament
in China in 1985, when President Buhari
was military head of state, and he urged
the team to repeat the same feat against
Mali, to make it the fifth time Nigeria
will win the trophy.
Starting with the head coach, Emmanuel
Amuneke, President Buhari
congratulated him for leading the team
to the final.
Your victory tomorrow will remind
Nigerians of what happened in China 30
years ago, and it will raise the morale of
Nigerians, especially the youths.
We’re praying for you. We are anxiously
waiting to receive the cup. Please put us
on the world map of soccer again,’’ he
told Amuneke.
Speaking to Udoh Akpan, the goalkeeper,
President Buhari said he was a very
strategic member of the team.
If you don’t let in the goals, then none
will be scored against us. We look
forward to lifting the cup,’’ the statement
quoted the President as telling Akpan.
Speaking to John Lazarus, a defender,
the President said, “don’t allow anybody
to penetrate the defense.’’
Buhari advised Tobechukwu Ibe, another
defender to “rest well today, because a
lot of Nigerians will be depending on
you tomorrow.’’
To top striker, Victor Osimhen, who has
scored 9 goals so far, President Buhari
said: “Strike like thunder tomorrow. I
believe you will bring us victory.’’
While charging the captain of the team,
Kelechi Nwakali, to maintain his
winning leadership, Buhari told Joel
Osikel, a midfielder, that he was “the
jewel of the team,” and challenged him
to contribute his quota towards victory.
Apart from the 21 players and head
coach, President Buhari also had
encouraging words for other members of
the technical team, the team doctor,
physiotherapist, media officer, and other
officials.’’
The statement maintained that both
Coach Amuneke and the team captain,
thanked President Buhari for his
support, and promised not to let him and
the country down.(NAN)