Former Nigeria captain, John Obi Mikel, has warned against any form of distractions in the Super Eagles camp during the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Mikel said that the team is doing well right now and must continue that way.
This happened after news came out that the Super Eagles players and coaches did not want to go to Marrakech for their quarterfinal match against Algeria because they had not been paid their bonuses yet.
Nigeria is set to face Algeria in the quarter-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday night.
The team and coaching staff have not been given their bonuses for the four matches they have played so far.
Mikel said that nothing should stop the Super Eagles from winning the tournament.
The ex-Chelsea player told the Super Eagles to remain focused and determined as they get ready for their next match.
He said on the Obi One podcast, “We need to win the next game, and we have to play it the right way because it’s going to be a difficult match against Algeria.
“I’ve seen them[Algeria]play a couple of times. They are a very strong team and collaborate smoothly with each other.
“They are very strong, they have some really good and talented players, so we have to give our best performance. There should be no things that block the way, or make it hard to focus, or have a bad effect. We should be prepared to handle any problems or issues that may arise.
“Are the players being paid their bonuses? Whatever they were promised should be fixed before the game begins. I believe we can make it all the way and win the trophy.”
If Nigeria beats Algeria on Saturday, they will reach the semi-finals of the AFCON for the second time in a row.
Nigeria finished in second place in 2023, which means they lost to the host country, Ivory Coast, in the final match.