The CAF president, Issa Hayatou, who paid a solidarity visit to the camp of the only surviving African team, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, urged the three times champion to to ensure they write their names in gold by winning the FIFA Under-17 World Cup UAE 2013.
Hayatou who came along with two members of his executive committee, the First vice-president, Alhamy Kabele Camara and Algerian Mohammed Raouraoua and former CAF Director of Communications, Suleiman Habuba, said he has been following the progress of the team since the CAN Under-17 Championship in Morocco where they came second behind Cote d’Ivoire.
Eaglets are the only African team left in this competition and Hayatou said his courtesy visit was solidarity from the entire people of the continent, adding that the team is indeed on the threshold of history.
“Nigeria have won this trophy three times in the past but I want you to know that those victories were for Nigeria, “Hayatou spoke in French which was translated by Mr. Bola Oyeyode, NFF’s Head of International. “ It is now your turn to write your names in gold and I want you to know that CAF as well as everybody from Africa would be supporting you in order to achieve this victory.”
Hayatou said he was impressed with the performance and conduct of the Golden Eaglets especially in last Saturday’s 2-0 win against Uruguay which was the only quarter-final match he watched live.
“You have shown the capacity that you can do it and I have no doubt you would go all the way after seeing your last match against Uruguay but we want you to forget about past achievements and focus on your next matches starting with Tuesday’s match against Sweden.”
Hayatou equally praised the Nigeria Football Federation’s President Alhaji Aminu Maigari who in a welcome address, said the team has already been with such a high-level delegation from the father of African football.
Meanwhile, coach Manu Garba (MFR) said the Golden Eaglets whom he described as ‘the great warriors of Africa’ would not let Africa down as the only team left in the competition from the continent following the exit of Tunisia, Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire.
