Former Nigerian international, Mobi Oparaku, has tipped the Super Eagles to qualify for the quarterfinals at Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The Atlanta ’96 gold medalist, who is now the team manager, Heartland Football Club of Owerri, stated this on a Channels TV sports programme on Monday.
The flamboyant wing back believes the three-time African champions posses the quality to take the world by storm when the mundial kicks off in Russia.
Oparaku said: “I believe these Eagles can make it to the quarterfinals at the World Cup if Gernot Rohr is given free hands on his players selection and we must also prepare very well for the tournament.
“Lack of preparation is the bane of Nigerian teams because we usually believe we have the mentality to do it and it is not all the time that it would work for us.
“For instance, we would have gotten to the semifinals at France ’98 but lack of preparations cost us and we crashed to Denmark in the second round,” the erstwhile Anderlecht of Holland defender pointed out.”
Nigeria is drawn in Group D with Iceland, Croatia and former World champions, Argentina.