Veteran Nigerian rapper, Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, also known as Ruggedman, has said that he doesn’t see the Super Eagles winning the ongoing 2023 African Cup of Nations.
Recall that the AFCON tournament commenced on Saturday, January 13, 2024, with the inaugural match featuring the host country Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) against Guinea Bissau at Alassane Ouattara stadium.
The 50-year-old singer made this known during an interview with The PUNCH, on Saturday.
Speaking on his favourite sport growing up as a child, Ruggedman said: “Growing up, like most young kids across Nigeria, I enjoyed and still enjoy football.
“I love playing football. I also represented my secondary school in a relay race once but it obviously was not my calling.”
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” I grew up reading football comic books like Roy Of The Rovers. I became a football lover in the early 1980s from watching “Big League Soccer.”
“As a Nigerian, yes I think they (Super Eagles) can win it but realistically and with the way we seem to have lost a couple of warm-up matches towards the competition, coupled with the history of politics being played in players selection, I do not see us winning it. I hope we do, but we all know games are not won by hoping.”
“I know some will argue that I might be choosing him because he is Nigerian. Some will say he did not win much during his time playing, but I choose Jay Jay Okocha any time, any day. To me, he is the most naturally skilled footballer I have ever seen.”
“My friend, Victor Osimhen. Not just because we are friends, but his stats speak for him. He has achieved a lot as a footballer, broke our jinx and won the African Best Player award, which Okocha didn’t even win, and what he did last season in the Serie A is phenomenal.”
