2013 World Cup Winner Zaharaddeen Bello Reveals Amuneke Takes Every Game Seriously, Expects Team To Beat Croatia

Nigeria Under 20 international Zaharaddeen Bello expects the Golden Eaglets to rack up their third win on the spin when they tackle Croatia at the ongoing Fifa Under 17 World Cup and has assured that coach Emmanuel Amuneke takes every game seriously.

The Dabo Babes Academy product was involved in every single game played by the Nigeria Under 17s at the 2013 edition of the tournament in the United Arab Emirates, and has predicted that the 2015 class will equal their achievement by winning the Cup for a fifth time.

“From what I have seen they will do more than we did. They play a very compact game, from the defense, midfield to attack. If they continue like this, they will go far in Chile, ” says Zaharaddeen Bello to allnigeriasoccer.com.

“Everybody wants them to win against Croatia. We took every game as a final and I know the coach (Amuneke) will tell them that just as he told us in 2013.

“Emmanuel Amuneke told us not to think that we have arrived because we were winning matches and wants us to be focused every time.”

The central defender has been impressed with the contribution of Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze in the first two games contested by the national team but he is not surprised with their performance as he trained with both youngsters in 2013 prior to the World Cup in UAE.

“Honestly from what I saw the number nine (Osimhen) is very good in the air and on the ground.

“Samuel Chukwueze has really impressed me. Kelechi Nwakali and Chukwueze trained with us in 2013 but didn’t make the squad but they are very good players, ” Bello concluded.

The Golden Eaglets have qualified for the final game of the Fifa Under 17s every time they won all their group matches. That occurred three times , in 1993, 2001 and 2007.

Photo Credit : fifa.com