Former Nigeria international Emmanuel Babayaro has urged the Super Eagles to approach Sunday’s 2023 AFCON qualifier against São Tomé and Principe like a World Cup final.
The Eagles will round off their Group A qualifiers against already eliminated São Tomé inside the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
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Despite the game being an inconsequential tie Babayaro, a member of the U-23 Eagles that won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic game, urged the Eagles to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to Babayaro, the reason why Ronaldo has scored many goals is because of the seriousness he gives every game, no matter the opposition.
“It should be a game that we should go with all seriousness, give it everything that it takes,” Babayaro said on Brila FM.
“We should play as seriously as we play a World Cup final because at the end of the day what it means is that if we probably would beat them 10, we might be able to beat them a 30, why not if we can do so.
“Today, with all due respect to Cristiano Ronaldo, he’s competing as the highest goal scorer in the world but if you look at the record of some of the funny countries Portugal were able to play that’s where he got those goals.
“And what that says is that it’s against those small countries he goes with seriousness, intent, and purpose and that’s exactly how we should approach the game against São Tomé.“
