Ebonyi State football fans on Thursday urged the Super Eagles to be wary of the best fashion rating it has received from nations as the World Cup begins in Russia.
Tidesports source reports that the Eagles’ World Cup kits and travel outfit were rated the best by soccer fans, pundits and media across the globe with many saying they had won the World Cup in its fashion sense.
Major sports dailies, including the Daily Mail wrote: “First, it was the announcement of their tournament kits that sent football supporters crazy.
“Now it is their travel attire that has got everybody talking again.’’
The British news outfit, The Sun, also wrote: “Nigeria once again won the fashion stakes at this year’s World Cup with their incredible travel outfit.
“A fan posted that Nigeria is winning the 2018 World Cup fashion parade.’’
The fans who spoke with newsmen on Thursday in Abakaliki on the fashion rating, noted that with the commencement of the global fiesta could be counter-productive if not adequately managed.
Chijioke Amah, former Manager of Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium, Abakaliki, said the players should instead concentrate on correcting the flaws noticed during their friendly matches.
“It is not a problem for the team to savour the euphoria of its global fashion rating but it should realise that the main rating will be their performances on the pitch.
“The same attention which their attires attracted will also be applied to their performances on the pitch and if they fail, the same people who praised them would vilify them,’’ he said.
Chika Nwagele, Captain of Ebonyi United FC of Abakaliki, urged the players to effectively utilise their underdog status to spring surprises at the World Cup.
“The team should emulate the 1996 Atlanta Olympics winning team which lost its friendly matches but improved tremendously to win Africa’s first Olympic football-gold medal.