Flying Eagles Draw Colombia, Norway, Saudi Arabia in U-20 World Cup Group F

By: Gyang Dakwo

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group F of the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup, where they will face Colombia, Norway, and Saudi Arabia. The 24th edition of the global youth football tournament is set to take place in Chile from September 27 to October 19 this year.

The official draw took place at the Machasa studios of Chilevisión in Santiago. Chilean television host Javiera Naranjo anchored the event. At the same time, FIFA’s Director of Tournaments, Jaime Yarza, conducted the draw with the support of former Argentina captain and football legend Juan Pablo Sorín.

The tournament will be played across four Chilean cities: Santiago, Rancagua, Valparaíso, and Talca. This marks the second time Chile is hosting the U-20 World Cup. The South American country first staged the event in 1987, when it was still called the FIFA World Youth Championship. That year, Yugoslavia won the title by defeating West Germany in a tense penalty shootout.

Nigeria is one of four African nations to qualify for this year’s competition. The Flying Eagles will be joined by continental champions South Africa, who are in Group E, as well as Morocco and Egypt, who were drawn in Groups C and A, respectively.

For the Flying Eagles, this is another chance to finally win the U-20 World Cup, a title that has eluded them despite coming close twice. Nigeria finished as runners-up in 1989, losing to Portugal in the final. In 2005, they reached the final again but were beaten by an Argentina team led by a young Lionel Messi.

Coach Aliyu Zubairu’s squad heads into the tournament with confidence. The team currently holds the WAFU B title and finished third at the 2023 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations. Expectations are high for the team to build on that success.

However, Group F will be far from easy. Colombia is known for its strong and technical play and is a regular contender in youth tournaments. Norway brings a disciplined and tactical European style, while Saudi Arabia is respected for their pace and solid organisation.