Golden Eaglets captain Kelechi Nwakali says his team cannot underrate Brazil in tonight’s FIFA U17 World Cup even though they beat the South American champions recently.
Kick-off of this World Cup quarterfinal is 8pm Nigerian time.
Nigeria pipped mighty Brazil 2-1 at the Suwon International tournament in South Korea prior to the World Cup in Chile and while the Eaglets have cruised through to the last-eight of the World Cup, three-time champions Brazil have laboured.
But skipper Nwakali said what will matter most tonight will be what both teams do on the pitch.
“It was just a friendly (Eaglets 2-1 win over Brazil in Korea), and this game will be totally different. It doesn’t matter what others say because we’ll never underestimate anyone, least of all Brazil,” reasoned Nwakali in an interview published by FIFA.com
“It’s a mistake to say that simply because we beat Australia 6-0 and they beat New Zealand 1-0. It doesn’t matter how they won. They won because they were better and that’s all we should be worried about.”
Nigeria have won the U17 World Cup a record four times - 1985, 1993, 2007 and 2013 – and the team captain declared they wish to make it a fifth time in Chile.
“We came here to retain the trophy. We want to win the title and we haven’t come for anything less,” declared Nwakali, who is the younger brother of Chidiebere Nwakali who won the FIFA U17 World Cup in UAE two years ago.
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