AFCON 2027: Former Super Eagles Star Sends Warning to Eric Chelle, Players Ahead of Madagascar Clash

• Former Nigeria international Nduka Ugbade urged the Super Eagles to take their AFCON 2027 qualifier against Madagascar seriously
• Ugbade reminded coach Eric Chelle and the squad that Madagascar defeated Nigeria 2-0 in a previous AFCON competition
• 23 Super Eagles players including captain Wilfred Ndidi and Samuel Chukwueze began training ahead of Friday's Group L opener in Uyo

Former Nigeria international Nduka Ugbade has issued a stern warning to the Super Eagles and head coach Eric Chelle ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opener against Madagascar on Friday, September 25, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Speaking in Lagos, the former Golden Eaglets coach said Nigeria cannot afford to treat the group stage lightly, pointing to a history of costly lapses that have come back to haunt the team.

"We should win both matches. But we must take Madagascar very seriously because they have been very strong recently," Ugbade told New Telegraph.

Madagascar's history against Nigeria

Ugbade reminded fans and players that Madagascar are no pushovers, having beaten Nigeria 2-0 in a previous AFCON competition.

The former Nigeria international also cited the Super Eagles' failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as proof that nothing can be taken for granted.

"At one point, they defeated Nigeria 2-0 in an AFCON competition, so we must not allow what happened before to happen again," he said.

"Even in the last World Cup qualification campaign, we knew we should have been able to beat Congo, but suddenly we failed to qualify. We cannot afford to repeat what happened in the last qualification campaign."

Nigeria missed out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the second consecutive time the Super Eagles have fallen short of football's biggest international tournament, making a strong start to the AFCON qualifiers all the more critical.

Why every point matters in Group L

Nigeria's task in Group L is particularly demanding.

As seen on CAF's official website, the group includes Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and co-host Tanzania.

Because Tanzania qualifies automatically as a host nation, only one remaining team from the group will advance to the tournament, meaning Nigeria must gather points from the very first game.

Ugbade also commented on the absence of striker Victor Osimhen, who will miss both upcoming fixtures.

He acknowledged that Osimhen is a significant loss for the team's qualification hopes, describing him as an important factor for the Super Eagles.

"This time, we must start fighting from the beginning of the competition until the very last day. We have to make sure that we are ahead on points and goal difference. Nigeria is a country that loves football, and we should be able to hold our own against top countries," Ugbade added.

Super Eagles training camp update

Preparations in the Super Eagles camp are gathering pace.

A training session held on Tuesday saw 23 players participate, with captain Wilfred Ndidi, winger Samuel Chukwueze, and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali among the latest to arrive.

Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is expected to join the squad and bring the total number of players in camp to 24.

After the Madagascar match, Nigeria travel to Morocco to face Guinea-Bissau in their second Group L fixture four days later.

Madagascar star sends bold message

In a related development, Legit.ng reported about Madagascar midfielder Rayan Raveloson’s bold message to Nigeria ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo.

With both teams seeking a winning start, the Amedspor player said the Malagasy team was not afraid of the Super Eagles despite Nigeria’s talented squad.