Patrick Bassey, Head Coach of the U15 National Team, Future Eagles, has assured that the team will not be disbanded, but instead, its players will progress to the U16 and U17 levels through specialized programs.
This comes after the Future Eagles returned from their inaugural training tour of Morocco, where they faced the Moroccan U16 team in two friendly matches.
Morocco triumphed 2-0 in the first leg, but the Nigerian youngsters fought back in the second leg, securing a 1-1 draw thanks to an 85th-minute penalty. Bassey expressed satisfaction with the players’ performances, emphasizing that despite the results, the tour was beneficial for their development.
He confirmed that the players, scouted across Nigeria earlier this year, will transition to the U16 team in 2025. They will also be invited to participate in the prestigious Japan Invitational tournament, which is scheduled for June 2025.
“You know we have the male U15 and the U16. The U16 are the ones that are always going to Japan for the invitational tournament in Japan and I think these ones are supposed to graduate from the U15 to U16 of the national team of Nigeria. Mostly Japan is always around June/July,” Bassey told BSNsports.
Looking ahead, Bassey expressed confidence that the majority of these players will eventually make it to the Nigeria U17 team, as the foundation for the team has already been laid.
“So, we are expecting and if there is any invitational that come up I think they would be part of it. I also expect the majority of these boys to be in the next Nigeria U17 team because we have already completed laying the foundation of the team,” he concluded.
With a clear pathway ahead, the Future Eagles are set to continue their development, with international exposure and competitive experience paving the way for their future success.
