Ahmed Musa’s Candid Take: AFCON Prioritizes Grit Over Beauty and Technique

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Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa asserts that AFCON doesn’t prioritize beauty or technique, responding to remarks made by Ghana’s Andre Ayew.

Ahmed Musa, the captain of the Super Eagles, has responded to statements from Ghana’s Andre Ayew regarding football in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Ayew suggests that CAF’s premier football event, AFCON, is more challenging than the FIFA World Cup, a sentiment endorsed by the Nigerian skipper.

Ghana’s Black Stars have faced a challenging start to AFCON 2023 with one defeat and a draw in their initial two matches.

According to a Modernghana report, a Ghanaian forward emphasizes that AFCON is the most demanding tournament.

“This tournament is even harder than the World Cup,” Ayew asserted. “We know that it is the hardest tournament, for me, when it comes to fighting, determination, and energy.”

In response to these remarks by the former Marseille player, Nigeria’s Musa concurred with his Ghanaian counterparts when asked about his reaction.

In an interview with Sienu TV, as reported by Modernghana, Musa expressed his agreement with Ayew, stating that AFCON is not solely about the beauty of the game. The Super Eagles forward emphasized the significance of factors beyond aesthetics in African football.

“It is more about the hard game and aggression,” added the former Al Nassr and Leicester City forward. Musa highlighted that in the World Cup, technique plays a crucial role, but in African football, the focus is less on technique, and players strive to overcome challenges with grit and determination.

At 31, Musa remains an integral part of the Nigeria national team, contributing to their qualification for AFCON 2023 in Cote d’Ivoire. He boasts an AFCON victory in 2013 and was a key figure in the Super Eagles’ third-place finish in the 2019 edition.

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