TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has called for support for the Super Eagles despite their ouster from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

The Eagles were eliminated in the round of 16 after a 1-0 loss to Tunisia on Sunday.

Their exit from the tournament came barely a few hours after Buhari had called the team to motivate them to “keep on winning.” 

However, several Nigerians on social media had attributed the team loss to the call which they claimed, among others, was a distraction. 

In a statement released by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, on Monday, Buhari said the players lost the game despite giving their best. 

He then pleaded with Nigerians not to “write them off.”

“They gave everyone the confidence that they were up to it, and I am sure it was something they could have achieved. Nonetheless, we should not write them off,” Buhari said.

The president also urged Nigerians to encourage the players to do better next time, especially in view of the World Cup qualification playoffs.

After the early exit from AFCON, the Eagles’ attention will now be on the World Cup qualification playoff against Ghana in March this year. 

The winner of the clash will join four other countries as Africa’s representatives at Qatar 2022 World Cup in November.