Flying Eagles coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has revealed that the team is focused on surpassing their previous run at the U20 FIFA World Cup, billed to kick off from September 27 to October 19.
The Flying Eagles departed Abuja on Sunday night for Chile to round up preparations for the tournament.
The team is expected to camp in the host country for two weeks to enable them settle down before the tournament kicks off.
Nigeria will also take on local sides in friendly matches to fine-tune their tactics ahead of their opening game against Norway on September 29.
The Flying Eagles are aiming to end their U-20 World Cup drought after winning the African Nations Cup seven times.
Zubairu said the team’s target is to advance to the next round from the group stage in other to surpass their previous performance at the last edition.
He said: “Coming out of the group is not that we should not negotiate or compromise.
“We are getting information on our opponents as well, their strengths and individual abilities. We respect all the teams in the group. We are not underestimating them, and we cannot compromise, as long as we have the ambition of going beyond our past record.”
Zubairu is expected to announce his final 21-man squad for the tournament this week.
He is expected to name players from soccer academies, NPFL clubs, and Nigeria -eligible players in Europe.
The Flying Eagles crashed out in the quarter-finals in the last edition of the tournament in 2023, losing 1-0 to South Korea.
In the 2025 edition, Nigeria will battle it out with Colombia, Norway, and Saudi Arabia in Group F.
The Zubairu-led side will open their campaign against Norway on September 29 before taking on Saudi Arabia three days later, and they will end the first round against October on October 5.
