Super Eagles Coach Jose Peseiro has revealed that this is the first time the president of a country would host him.
President Bola Tinubu hosted the entire Team Nigeria on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following their silver medal-winning campaign at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
Tinubu gave every member of Team Nigeria the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and plots of land. Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa, who already had the MON title, was upgraded to Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
Peseiro told journalists after the presidential reception that it was the first time he would be honoured by a president.
He said, “First of all, I would like to say thank you to the president. I am 60 years old, this is the first time a president invited me to his house. It is an honour and a pride to me for the president of the Republic of Nigeria to invite me here. Thank you very much.
“About the final, I think we did a fantastic job. Our team showed very good spirit and played well. My boys did 100 per cent, same for my staff and the NFF.
“Of course, I would have liked to bring the cup to the Nigerian people, I’m sad about that. But I’m happy because I think we did a fantastic job. In the final, I think we felt that atmosphere.”
Also, Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali said he had always dreamt of meeting the president.
“It’s so nice, it’s been my dream to meet the president and today, it’s so nice, I won’t even talk about my reaction because merely looking at my face, you’ll see that I’m so happy, even my teammates are so happy,” he said.
