Africa U-23 Championships: Dream Team VI arrive from Senegal

President Muhammadu Buhari has extolled the winning spirit of Nigeria’s Under-23 team for gallantly defeating Algeria in the finals of the Under-23 Africa Nations Cup championship played Saturday in Senegal.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Football Federation has announced that the team would be arriving in Nigeria on Monday.

The President, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu, noted that this was the first time that Nigeria attained this soccer glory in this particular category.

According to the President, his government would always reward hard work and excellence.

Nigeria coach Samson Siasia has urged his players not to rest on their laurels after their Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations success.

“We were there in 2008 and we got to the finals”, he said.

The newly-crowned African champions got a fairly rosy welcome as members of the supporters club were on hand to dish out sonorous songs to welcome back the players and officials to the country.

“It was not easy for us taking into consideration the teams we met”.

The Dream Team was also also paid $100 per day for the 10 days they trained in The Gambia prior to this championship, which amounted to $1,000.

“We encourage this crop of creative footballers to go and conquer the world in football at the Olympic Games holding in Brazil, and thereafter make the national team the Dream Team that Nigeria is yearning for”.