Sao Tome and Principe assistant coach William Barbosa has claimed that Nigeria have the second-best team on the continent, Soccernet.ng reports.
Barbosa watched as the Super Eagles handed Sao Tome and Principe a 6-0 whitewash at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.
Nigeria had already qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament before the encounter. Still, the Super Eagles turned up the burner as Victor Osimhen netted a hat-trick in the demolition of the True Patriots.
Osimhen, it would be recalled, netted four goals and added two assists as Nigeria secured a historic 10-0 win over the same opponents in the reverse fixture last year.
The seven goals the Napoli striker scored against Sao Tome and Principe were key in helping the 24-year-old finish as the qualifiers’ top scorer with ten goals. With 22 goals scored, the Super Eagles also ended the campaign with the best attack.
Barbosa is impressed with the array of talents available to head coach Jose Peseiro, and he opines that only reigning African champions Senegal are better than the Super Eagles.
“Nigeria have some of the best players in Africa, quality players in top leagues around the world,” Barbosa said, as per The Pledge.
“For now, after Senegal, Nigeria have the best team in Africa.”
While Barbosa has Senegal as the best team in Africa, the Teranga Lions are only number two on FIFA’s rankings behind World Cup semifinalists Morocco.
Three-time AFCON winners Nigeria are sixth on the standings behind third-place Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt.