Brazil, Nigeria’s friendly match will be explosive, says Kanu

Nwankwo Kanu, former Super Eagles captain, says the October 13 friendly match between Brazil and Nigeria is going to be like a war between both sides.

The former Arsenal forward told TheCable in Lagos on Monday.

The two teams are expected to lock horns in a match billed to take place at the Singapore National Stadium in Kallang.

The Eagles last engaged the Samba Boys in a friendly at the Abuja National Stadium in June 2003. Nigeria lost the game to a Ronaldinho-inspired Brazil by three goals to nil.

“Both countries have mutual respect for each other, due to the reality that talented players are on either side. I think this will make the match explosive,” said Kanu.

“The fact that Brazil are coming with their full squad also shows that they take the friendly seriously and want to get something out of it.”

Asked if the current Eagles have the solidity to withstand the Brazilians in the forthcoming game, Kanu said the players would be doing themselves good if they put up a top call performance.

“A big match as this calls for the participants to give it their all and I believe the Eagles would be doing themselves a lot of good if they put in everything to boost their own careers and defend the Nigerian flag,” he said.

The talented former football player also objected to calls on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to stop injecting fresh Europe-based Nigerian players to the Eagles’ squad moving forward in order not to disrupt cohesion.

“The job of the coach is to ensure team cohesion. But it is normal for every country to chase after its good players wherever they are around the world. What I am against is for Nigeria to beg any player who doesn’t seem interested in representing the country because as far as I am concerned, no player should be made to feel bigger than Nigeria,” he also said.

Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles coach, has also announced a strong team for the international friendly against the five-time world champions.

Kanu, founder of the Kanu Heart Foundation (KHF), had earlier spoken on his commitment to saving lives of indigent Nigerians afflicted by heart ailments.