Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic has voiced strong support for Semi Ajayi and the Super Eagles, tipping Nigeria to go all the way at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
After closely following Nigeria’s performances at the tournament, Jakirovic believes the Super Eagles have shown the quality and balance needed to win the title as they prepare for a blockbuster semi-final against host nation Morocco.
Ajayi is expected to feature again on Wednesday night in Rabat, where Nigeria will take on a passionate home crowd at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with a place in Sunday’s final on the line.
The Hull City defender has played a major role in Nigeria’s journey to the last four, appearing in four of their five matches and forming a solid defensive partnership with Fulham’s Calvin Bassey.
Nigeria head into the semi-final with a flawless record, having won all five of their matches so far, and Jakirovic feels that consistency is what separates them from many of their rivals.
Although Ajayi’s AFCON duties have kept him out of Hull’s recent Championship fixtures, with his return not expected until later in the month, his manager says everyone at the club is proud of his progress on the international stage.
“It means a lot for him, for the club, and for all of us,” Jakirovic told Hull Live. “Now that he is in the semi-final, I really hope he goes all the way and wins it.
“I have watched every match, and for me Nigeria are a very, very good team, almost fantastic. They are strong, well organised, and I just hope he comes back healthy.”
Ajayi prepares for hostile Rabat atmosphere
While his manager watches from England, Ajayi is already focused on the challenge ahead. Nigeria secured their semi-final place with a convincing 2–0 victory over Algeria, one of the tournament favourites.
The 32-year-old produced another composed performance at the back as the Super Eagles kept a clean sheet, and he believes they will need to reach the same level again to defeat Morocco.
“Algeria are a top side. It wasn’t easy, but we brought our best and we’ll need to do that again in the next round,” Ajayi said.
He also spoke about the team’s motivation to go further than the squad that lost the 2023 AFCON final.
“Both teams want the same thing, to win. We know how painful it was to fall short last time, and we want to make it right.
“But first, we have a semi-final to take care of. We’ll be hungry, focused and ready to make sure we get through.”
Ajayi expects the atmosphere in Rabat to be intense, similar to what Nigeria faced against Algeria, where most of the crowd supported the opposition.
“It will be hostile, but we have enough experience in the squad to handle it. The last game felt like an away match, maybe 80 per cent of the crowd was for Algeria.
“That experience will help us. No performance is perfect, and there are always small things to improve. We’ll work on those in training before the next match.”
Wednesday’s semi-final kicks off at 9pm Nigerian time in Rabat. The winners will meet either Egypt or Senegal in Sunday’s final, as Nigeria look to turn a strong tournament run into a championship-winning campaign.
