Ademola Lookman has challenged the Super Eagles to make a winning start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with Nigeria preparing for back-to-back fixtures against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The Atletico Madrid forward acknowledged that both opponents could pose difficult challenges but said the Nigerian squad was determined to collect maximum points from the opening two matches.
“The whole team is looking forward to it. Two very important games are approaching, and the opponents are, of course, difficult to face. But we are looking forward to winning these two games,” Lookman told AS.
“We know that the games will be difficult, but we will do everything possible to achieve it.”
Nigeria will begin their qualifying campaign against Madagascar on September 25 before taking on Guinea-Bissau four days later. The demanding schedule leaves little room for complacency as the Super Eagles seek to establish an early advantage in the race for qualification.
For Lookman and his teammates, the fixtures also provide an opportunity to respond positively to the disappointment of Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles' World Cup hopes ended after they were defeated by DR Congo in the CAF playoff final, denying Nigeria a place at next year's global tournament.
Attention has now shifted firmly to the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, with the national team eager to maintain its impressive record in the continental competition.
Nigeria have not missed an AFCON tournament since 2017 and have consistently been among the leading sides in Africa in recent editions. The Super Eagles finished third in 2019, reached the round of 16 in 2021, finished runners-up in 2023 and again claimed third place in 2025.
Their run at the 2025 tournament in Morocco underlined their competitiveness. Nigeria went through the competition without suffering a defeat in normal or extra time before being eliminated by the hosts in a semi-final penalty shootout.
The Super Eagles recovered from that disappointment to secure the bronze medal, defeating Egypt in the third-place play-off.
Coach Eric Chelle has included Lookman in his squad for the opening qualifiers, with the forward expected to be an important part of Nigeria's attacking plans.
Before joining up with the national team, however, Lookman has club duties to fulfil. The Atletico Madrid attacker is scheduled to face city rivals Real Madrid in the Madrid derby on Sunday before linking up with the Super Eagles during the international break.
Lookman has scored once in seven appearances for Atletico this season and will be looking to build momentum ahead of Nigeria's two crucial AFCON qualifiers.
With the first two fixtures presenting an immediate test of Nigeria's ambitions, Lookman's message is clear: the Super Eagles recognise the challenges ahead but are determined to begin the road to the 2027 tournament with victories.