The Vice-Captain of the Super Eagles football team, William Troost-Ekong, has assured President Bola Tinubu that the team will bring gold medal home in the next African Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition.
“All we can promise is that we will continue to work hard, and the next time we meet, hopefully next year, we will be bringing home a gold medal,” the Vice-Captain told President Tinubu who hosted the players today, February 13, at the Presidential villa in Abuja.
Ekong expressed the team’s appreciation of the support of the President during their stay in Ivory Coast.
“We did our best until the final. I wish that we were here carrying the trophy for you.
”In 2019, I was here with a bronze medal. Now we are here with a silver medal. I have two gold-medal winners beside me here.”
This was even as the minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh applauded the President for prioritizing sports development in the country and ensuring support for the team.
He lauded the decision by the President to create a separate Ministry of Sports Development, saying: “for the first time, we have gone through a major competition; we have come back without any crisis, without any complaint, without any issues whatsoever relating to allowances, bonuses, or whatever. “This kept the team focused on the matches in front of them with quality results.”
President Tinubu, who decorated each member of the Super Eagles team with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) lapel pins, observed that the team demonstrated a team spirit and discipline at the AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire and proved that diversity is a source of strength.
The President commended the players for their exemplary display of unity, determination and resilience on the field.
He emphasized the pride Nigerians felt in the Super Eagles’ remarkable journey throughout the competition.
“It is a great honour for me to receive you, our Super Eagles. As a team, you taught us lessons on resilience, togetherness, diversity and excitement in competitive games.
”You started the tournament as if Nigeria would not assert itself, but you progressed to the finals. Through all the challenges and dealing with great humility in the host country, you left your clubs and honoured your country. You gave us great excitement.
”You were determined. We salute your resilience. You lifted our spirits, and you made us proud. You made us smile as Nigerians.
”It is not easy to absorb a loss, particularly when the expectations are high. But you have demonstrated sportsmanship, resilience, and teamanship throughout the entire tournament. “That is what AFCON stands for, the unity and resilience of the continent. You have done a great job, and I am very proud of you.”
President Tinubu pledged to continue investing in sports and youth development, adding: ”we will consult with you on how to facilitate and promote sports development. As your President, I will go out to attract greater private sector investment in the Nigerian Professional Football League. We have to grow our local league and I promise to be a super promoter of sports in our country. Many of you may in the future become managers of our local premiership system. I want to say once again that I am proud of you, and Nigeria is proud of you. You are a lifter of spirits.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has moved to allocate a plot of land to each of the players by distributing forms for them to fill, even as he announced the donation of a flat to each of them.
The Super Eagles came second with silver medal in the just concluded African Cup Of Nations competition in Côte d’Ivoire.
