A Nigerian soccer star is tired of AFCON getting disrespected. Samuel Chukwueze, a forward for Fulham, called for the Africa Cup of Nations to be valued as highly as the World Cup or the European Championship. He made the comments after controversy over the tournament's schedule in Morocco, which is happening now instead of the summer. This timing forces European clubs to release key players during a busy part of their season.
Chukwueze defended the competition's prestige despite the calendar clash. He stated everyone wants to play in AFCON, calling it one of the best tournaments globally. He acknowledged that the scheduling is wrong but insisted that clubs cannot stop a player's call-up. The winger argued it is unacceptable to criticize the tournament's quality. He is set to miss six club matches if Nigeria advances to the knockout stage. His national team recently beat Tanzania two to one in their first group game.
Chukwueze defended the competition's prestige despite the calendar clash. He stated everyone wants to play in AFCON, calling it one of the best tournaments globally. He acknowledged that the scheduling is wrong but insisted that clubs cannot stop a player's call-up. The winger argued it is unacceptable to criticize the tournament's quality. He is set to miss six club matches if Nigeria advances to the knockout stage. His national team recently beat Tanzania two to one in their first group game.
