Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has expressed confidence in Nigeria reaching the semi-finals of the coming Brazil 2014 World Cup.
The Lille FC of France safe hands, who is warming up for his third World Cup told FIFA. com that the Eagles were determined to set new African record at the Mundial.
“I think we are going to make big progress,” Enyeama said. “We are focused on the World Cup, to make Africa the proudest continent. Ghana almost reached the semi-finals four years ago. We are going to achieve a better result and be the first African team to get to the semi-finals of the World Cup.”
Although Nigeria struggled at both Korea/Japan 2002 and South Africa 2010, 31-year-old Enyeama insisted that the Eagles would qualify from Group F comprising Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Argentina.
It will be the third time in a row that Nigeria will be facing Argentina at the World Cup, but more importantly for the Nigeria deputy captain, a match-up with France in the second round could be on the cards.
“If we play against France, it will be interesting, but if we play against Switzerland, it will also be interesting. The important thing is to qualify.
“Playing France for a place in the last eight is not really what matters to me right now; I just want the team to make it to the second round. But maybe we will come out first, and then we will not have to play against France.”
Enyeama has enjoyed a highly successful season with Lille, helping the club to third in the league, keeping 21 clean sheets in the process and coming close to breaking the Ligue 1 record for a goalkeeper without conceding a goal and eventually winning the Marc-Vivien Foe award given to the best African player. However, those statistics are far from the most important thing to him.
“I don’t care about statistics. I just want to see how far I can go and help my team. When I am no longer effective, then I leave the scene. I also do not care to be the most-capped player in the history of the Super Eagles – things like that,” he said.
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