John Obi Mikel, a former captain of Nigeria, has issued a warning against any kind of distraction in the Super Eagles camp during the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Mikel stated that the team needs to maintain its current level of success.
This occurred after it was revealed that the Super Eagles coaches and players did not want to travel to Marrakech for their quarterfinal game against Algeria because they had not yet received their incentives.
On Saturday night, Nigeria will play Algeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal.
For the four games they have played thus far, neither the team nor the coaching staff have received their incentives.
The former Chelsea player advised the Super Eagles to stay committed and focused as they prepare for their upcoming game.
He said on the Obi One podcast, “We need to win the next game, and we have to play it the right way because it’s going to be a difficult match against Algeria.
“I’ve seen them [Algeria] play a couple of times. They are a very strong team and collaborate smoothly with each other.
“They are very strong, they have some really good and talented players, so we have to give our best performance. There should be no things that block the way, or make it hard to focus, or have a bad effect. We should be prepared to handle any problems or issues that may arise.
“Are the players being paid their bonuses? Whatever they were promised should be fixed before the game begins. I believe we can make it all the way and win the trophy.”
Nigeria will go to the AFCON semifinals for the second consecutive year if they defeat Algeria on Saturday.
Nigeria defeated to the host nation, Ivory Coast, in the championship game in 2023, placing them in second place.
