Speaking to reporters at the airport, one of the midfielders, Solomon Anya, expressed the team's happiness at having clinched a World Cup ticket for Nigeria. He said, "I am happy that we qualified for the World Cup. We played our best to win the tournament, but that is football because our best was not enough." Anya praised his teammates for their hard work and dedication, adding that they were determined to do better at the World Cup in May.
The Flying Eagles were drawn in Group A of the tournament alongside Senegal, Mozambique, and host Egypt. They lost their first match against Senegal 0-1 but bounced back to beat host Egypt 1-0 in the second game. The Ladan Bosso-tutored team then defeated Mozambique 2-0 to qualify for the quarter-finals, where they beat Uganda 1-0. However, they were unable to progress to the final, losing 0-1 to the Gambia in the semi-finals of the competition.
Despite their loss in the semi-finals, the Flying Eagles redeemed themselves in the third-place match, where they defeated Tunisia 4-0. The team played an excellent game, dominating their opponents from start to finish. The victory earned them the bronze medal and a spot in the World Cup.
In addition to winning the third-place match, the Flying Eagles also received the Fair Play award at the competition from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The team was recognised as the most disciplined team in the competition, with good sportsmanship. The skipper, Daniel Bamaiyi, received the award on behalf of the team at the closing ceremony on Saturday night.
Flying Eagles defenders Augustine Njoku and Solomon Agbalaka also made the CAF Best XI of the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. Their inclusion in the team of the tournament was a testament to their excellent performance throughout the competition.
Nigeria finished the tournament as the third-best team after defeating Tunisia 4-0 in the third-place playoff on Friday. Senegal emerged as the winners after defeating the Gambia 2-0 in the final on Saturday.
The Flying Eagles have now secured their spot in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia in May. The team will be looking to build on their success in Egypt and make Nigeria proud on the world stage. With hard work, dedication, and determination, they will be hoping to bring home the trophy and make history for their country.