President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday extended his best wishes for a triumphant outing to the Golden Eaglets who are in Chile for the 2015 FIFA Under-17 World Championship.
Buhari was military Head of State when Nigerian won the maiden edition of the championship in 1985.
He hosted the victorious team led by Nduka Ugbade at the Dodan Barracks in Lagos and subsequently renamed it Golden Eaglets.
As the 2015 edition opens on Saturday, President Buhari urges the Golden Eaglets to do their utmost best to match the outstanding performance of their victorious predecessors who have won the competition three times after the inaugural edition including the last tournament in 2013.
The President assures the Golden Eaglets and their handlers of the full support of the Federal Government and all Nigerians as they strive to bring more sporting glory to their fatherland by outplaying all their opponents in Chile and winning the Under-17 World Cup for a record fifth time.
A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Friday says “Buhari will follow the team’s progress through the tournament in Chile with keen interest and high expectation in the belief that the boys have the skills, dedication and determination required to make Nigeria world champions at the youth level once again.”
Buhari, the statement says, “calls on the players to stay focused, avoid all distractions and put their globally acknowledged skills, ability and doggedness on display against the USA tomorrow, Chile on October 20, Croatia on October 23 and in all their subsequent matches to win the tournament and give millions of soccer-loving Nigerians the perfect end-of-the-year gift.”
