Mikel Obi Backs Super Eagles for Fourth AFCON Title

Former Super Eagles Captain, John Mikel Obi, has declared Nigeria as favourites to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament which kicks off  on January 13 in Cote d'Ivoire. 
Mikel told CAFOnline yesterday that the three-time African  champions will always go into the AFCON as favourites and was hoping that this generation of players will emulate what his team did a decade ago. 

“We are always favourites, this is every time we go into the tournament and it’s no different this time. Everyone knows that we are one of the favourites – not the massive favourite but definitely one of the favourites”, said the former Chelsea midfield enforcer. 

The Super Eagles landed the prestigious AFCON title in 1980, 1994 and 2013. They were also runners-up in 1984, 1988, 1990 and 2000.
Mikel, who made 91 appearances for Nigeria added: “To be able to do it again will be a massive achievement for us which I think the country needs right now as well.
“We need to get our football back where it should be and by winning this tournament, it will take it back to where it should be.

 “Football has changed dramatically, and I think this group of players are a good young team and play a different brand of football than we did so let’s hope we can see a good performance from the Nigerian team”, he said.
Super Eagles will kick off their campaign on 14 January against Equatorial Guinea before facing the hosts, Ivory Coast four days later.