Super Eagles players
AFCON 2025: Some Nigerians Back Algeria Against Super Eagles Over Alleged Squad Imbalance
A section of Nigerians has stirred controversy on social media after openly declaring support for Algeria to defeat the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their AFCON 2025 semi-final clash, citing claims of ethnic and religious imbalance in the national team selection.
The comments, mostly shared on Facebook, accused the Super Eagles squad, coached by Eric Chelle, of being dominated by players from a particular ethnic group, with critics alleging the exclusion of Hausa and Muslim players from the team.
One Facebook user, Shariffiddeen Yahuza, said he would support Algeria because he believed the Nigerian team lacked ethnic balance. Another user, Muhammad S. Abubakhar Dakha, made similar claims in a post that contained derogatory and inflammatory language, drawing widespread reactions online.
Meanwhile, the build-up to the semi-final has also been fueled by comments from the Algerian camp, with players expressing strong confidence ahead of the encounter.
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In a viral video circulating online on Thursday, Hicham Boudaoui, an Algerian international who plays for OGC Nice in France, told cheering teammates that Algeria was determined to defeat Nigeria decisively, remarks that further heightened tension ahead of the match.
Nigeria booked their place in the last four with a 4–0 victory over Mozambique, while Algeria edged DR Congo 1–0 after extra time to reach the semi-finals.
Saturday’s showdown is a repeat of the 2019 AFCON semi-final, where Algeria eliminated Nigeria 2–1, courtesy of a dramatic late free kick by Riyad Mahrez.
The highly anticipated AFCON 2025 semi-final will kick off at 5 p.m. Nigerian time, with football fans across the continent watching closely.
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