Kelechi Nwakali has brushed aside talks that Nigeria is favourites to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup quarter-final clash against Brazil on Sunday.
The Golden Eaglets crushed Australia 6-0 to qualify for the last eight of the tournament, while Brazil needed a penalty to defeat New Zealand 1-0.
Nigeria beat Carlos Amadeu’s team 3-2 in a friendly before the competition, but Nwakali insists that the match in Vina Del Mar will be different.
“It was just a friendly, and this game will be totally different. It doesn’t matter what others say because we’ll never underestimate anyone, least of all Brazil,” Nwakali told Fifa.com.
“It’s a mistake to say that [we’re favorites] simply because we beat Australia 6-0 and they beat New Zealand 1-0. It doesn’t matter how they won. They won because they were better and that’s all we should be worried about.
“We’re young players and the one thing we have to strive for is to get better in every game. The only way we can win this competition is to surpass ourselves in each and every match, and we do that by listening to the coach. he’s the one who’s brought us here and he has the experience that’s needed.”
The game starts 8pm Nigeria time at the Estadio Sausalito.
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