'AFCON must respected like the World & Euros'
by KickOff Reporter · KickOffNigeria forward Samuel Chukwueze claims the Africa Cup of Nations must be given the same respect as the European Championship.
Africa's premier competition is well underway, with the Super Eagles starting their campaign with a 2-1 win over Nigeria earlier this week.
Read: Coach slams CAF decision to change AFCON calendar
There have always been critics, most from Europe, who have expressed their unhappiness with the timing of the tournament, as many European clubs lose some key players for a month.
Chukwueze, who plays for Fulham in England, says the criticism towards the tournament is unacceptable.
“Everybody wants to play in AFCON. It’s one of the best competitions in the world,” Chukwueze told On Sports TV as quoted by Flashscore.
“You have to respect the AFCON the same way you respect the European Championship or World Cup.”
“We understand they scheduled it at the wrong time of the year, but when it’s important, if you get recalled you have to go.
“You don’t have any choice, your club can’t stop you and no one should say anything bad about the AFCON. Yes, they put it at the wrong time, but saying it’s not a good competition or a great competition is unacceptable.”