Nigeria vs Madagascar: ‘It’ll never happen again’ – Ndidi on World Cup misfortune

Nigeria's captain Wilfred Ndidi has warned his team against a sluggish start in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Madagascar in Uyo on Friday. Following the team's lackluster performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ndidi emphasized that they have learned valuable lessons and are determined to establish a strong beginning against their opponents.

The captain stated, "We know the experiences of the last World Cup. How we started was really, really poor, really bad, and it will never happen again because this is a focused team. We are planning to set the momentum, you know, because the first game is the most important game in every competition." Nigeria is placed in Group L along with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Tanzania, with Tanzania already qualifying as one of the co-hosting nations.

Thus, only the highest-ranked team among the remaining three will advance. Ndidi acknowledged the pressure of the qualification structure but reiterated the team's focus on maximizing their points, stating, "Our primary focus is us, you know. We try as much as possible to get as many points as we can. It doesn't matter how many qualify; we want to qualify, so that's the most important thing for us."