With a strong record against North African teams, Nigeria's Flying Eagles head into their U20 AFCON opener against Tunisia bolstered by decades of dominance and a recent 4-0 triumph in 2023.
- Nigeria faces Tunisia on Thursday at Cairo's 30 June Stadium in their U20 AFCON 2025 opener.
- The Flying Eagles have historically fared well, winning 8 of 13 matches against North African teams at the tournament.
- Nigeria previously beat Tunisia 4-0 in the 2023 third-place playoff and edged them in key qualifiers in 1981 and 1985.
- Egypt and Morocco have also fallen to Nigeria across different tournament editions, though Egypt beat Nigeria in 2013.
- Coach Aliyu Zubairu leads a confident squad hoping to extend the legacy of past triumphs.
For many Nigerian fans, the clash revives memories of past glory and heartbreaks. From Isaac Promise’s 2005 heroics to the bitter loss in 2013, the emotional weight of these North African encounters adds significance to every whistle and goal.
Will the Flying Eagles continue their dominance, or will Tunisia flip the script in Cairo? As Zubairu’s team kicks off their campaign, history provides both a cushion and a challenge.
