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Eagles under pressure to beat S’Africa, Benin – Ndidi
In this interview, Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi talks with "TANA AIYEJINA" about his experience playing for Leicester City in the Championship, the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin, and more. Ndidi visited the renovated Ajegunle Maracana Stadium in Lagos on Wednesday.
Before their upcoming qualifiers against fierce rivals South Africa and Benin, are the Super Eagles under pressure after being held in their opening two matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers by Lesotho and Zimbabwe?
I believe the team is under pressure (to win), if we are being honest with ourselves. Both games, which we drew, were challenging. It would have been much better to go to these games if we had won both of them. Still, it's football, and I think the pressure that comes with this one is actually exciting because we know what we have to do, we know we have to try and win. So, I think we just need to stay focused and do our best and then try to win the games.
One of your first games as an emerging football player with the Eagles was against South Africa, and the Eagles were defeated. In comparison to the South Africans, how would you rank this team?
They are a solid team, in my opinion. They proved they were a formidable team when they faced us at the most recent AFCON, and they fought hard until we won on penalties. I believe that the AFCON is now in the past, and we are no longer looking in that direction. When you play against a team you played against at the AFCON, they might be a completely different team. Everything is up to us as a team and how we choose to play the game. Thus, it is irrelevant who we are playing, it all depends on us and how we approach the game.
Last season, you played more as an attack-minded midfielder and scored lots of goals. How do you think this will impact on the national team?
Wherever George Finidi, our coach, wants someone to play, it's his strategies that count. He has an idea of how he wants the team to perform. I was an attacking midfielder for Leicester, so it was only natural for me to return and support the defence. I'm not sure how the coach will approach the match against South Africa, but I'll be ready to play my hardest and support the team to victory wherever he puts me.
We will be playing without Victor Osimhen, our top striker, in the upcoming qualifying round. How will this impact the team?
Victor is a fantastic football player. I refer to him as the hustler because he always hustles and is like a street football player. When you are playing against Victor as a defender, you can never get comfortable. Consequently, I believe it will have an effect on the team because he motivates them to succeed. We have so many strikers, each of whom can add unique dynamics to the team with their own style, so I guess we will miss him, but now is not the time to dwell; rather, we should act and try to win the games. I hope he heals quickly and that he will always be a member of the team.
You were hurt and were unable to travel to the Ivory Coast for the 2023 AFCON. How did you feel having to watch the TV games featuring the Super Eagles?
I was incredibly proud of the team because they performed so well. Yes, we lost the championship game, but I'm still proud of the group. The Ivoirians had a larger roster than the other team, and the majority of them weren't playing frequently, which was the difference between them in the championship game. However, if you look at our team, the same players were playing throughout; they weren't having an easy time. It was unfortunate that we lost the final, but I'm really proud of them because they had such a strong focus and mentality and made it to the final.
How do you feel about Finidi George, the new coach of the Super Eagles?
Congratulations to him! As I've mentioned previously, I believe he will succeed if everyone supports him. It's not simple. From the last games we had in Morocco (against Ghana and Mali), he found it very difficult because he was by himself, without any help, and had to perform the roles of coach and analyst all at once. For the time being, I believe he needs more help, and I am excited to work with him because our previous collaboration was fantastic and he is an incredible man. His strategies are fascinating. Thus, I believe he will contribute positively to the team going forward.
For football players, the English Championship is a difficult environment. What would you say about your one season in the second division with Leicester?
The Championship is challenging, to be honest. Playing weekends and weekdays, travelling across the nation, and occasionally having to play three games in a two-week span is a challenging but rewarding experience. Being in the Premiership makes you blind to what you are missing, so visiting the Championship opened our eyes. Going back there seems unnecessary, so let's get back up. It's quite challenging to play in this league.
When Leicester was demoted, did you consider joining a different team?
Honestly, I never thought of it.
Since I was feeling so awful, to be honest, it didn't occur to me. I've been a part of the team for about seven years now, and I genuinely love them. They introduced me to the Premier League, and I never considered leaving because I thought I could make a difference in the Championship. Thankfully, everything worked out and we are back where we belong.
Enzo Maresca, the manager of Leicester, has joined Chelsea. Which effect do you anticipate for the Foxes as a result of this?
His great coaching ability will make a difference. As players, we just play football, but we genuinely love Leicester. With all due respect to the other coaches, whose philosophies differ, but Maresca was the one who brought football to our understanding. You can tell that we were very at ease playing because we knew what we were doing. Now that he's gone, I believe his influence will grow.
Several reports have connected you to Barcelona, Juventus, and Lyon. Have these clubs gotten in touch with you?
Yes, I have been, but I just try to see how it works for my family and me in the long run.