Two goals in his first senior appearance for Nigeria. A Millwall bid already rejected on the same day he spoke to reporters. Femi Azeez has had a busy 48 hours, and he is making sure his ambitions match the momentum.
Femi Azeez has revealed that winning the Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles is the biggest target on his international horizon, with a World Cup appearance alongside it as a secondary ambition he fully intends to pursue. Speaking to reporters at The Valley in London following Nigeria’s 2-0 Unity Cup semi final victory over Zimbabwe, the Millwall winger was measured but clear about where he wants this career to go. “I want to score more goals, and have assists too,” Azeez said. “I would like to create more chances for the team. I want to play at the AFCON, and win the competition. It will also be great to play at the World Cup with Nigeria as well.” Nigerian fans who want to back the Super Eagles in the Unity Cup final on Saturday can check the Bet9ja promotion code for new users before kick-off.
The ambitions land differently when you consider that Azeez only made his debut 24 hours before he spoke those words. His first touch of competitive international football produced two goals, both assisted by Terem Moffi, and helped send Nigeria into Saturday’s final against Jamaica. The speed at which he has gone from Championship winger to international scorer in the space of a single training camp is the kind of trajectory that forces everyone, including six Premier League clubs, to pay close attention.
What Chelle Actually Said
Eric Chelle’s post-match comments on Azeez were interesting precisely because they did not follow the straightforward praise script. The head coach acknowledged the two goals directly but made clear the performance had areas that needed attention. “He scored two goals, I congratulate him, but he lost a lot of balls, so not happy with him even though he recovered some of these balls,” Chelle said after the final whistle. He also stated that the high pressing he demands from his wide players needs to be sustained across the full 90 minutes, something Azeez had not done consistently throughout the Zimbabwe game.
That kind of public critique from a head coach immediately after a debut brace is instructive. Chelle is not managing Azeez’s confidence, he is managing his standards. The implication is that two goals is not sufficient if the rest of the work is incomplete, and for a player whose transfer value is actively being negotiated by Premier League clubs and Millwall at the same time, that message sets the right expectation early. Azeez is good enough to be here. He is not yet good enough to cruise. New fans who want to follow Azeez’s progress through the Unity Cup final can get the best current offers through the Bet9ja YOHAIG welcome bonus before Saturday’s game against Jamaica.
The Transfer Story Running in Parallel
While Azeez was speaking in London about AFCON dreams, Millwall were back at The Den turning down bids. Reports confirmed that the Championship club rejected a fresh £20 million offer from an unnamed Premier League side on Wednesday, the same day as the Zimbabwe victory. Millwall’s valuation has held firm despite the interest from Everton, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Fulham and Sunderland. The club paid nothing for Azeez when they signed him from Reading in 2024, and with a debut brace for Nigeria now on his CV alongside 11 Championship goals and eight assists this season, they have every reason to hold their price.
The AFCON qualifier context adds another layer to all of this. Nigeria are in Group L of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign alongside Tanzania, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Those matches begin later this year, and Azeez will be hoping the Unity Cup final is only the first of many appearances in green and white. For a player who was playing non league football in England as recently as 2019, the pace of this ascent is genuinely unusual. The next 12 months, between now and the start of the AFCON qualifiers, will determine whether this week becomes the beginning of something sustained or a memorable footnote. Supporters who want to follow every Super Eagles qualifier from the first whistle can secure their account with the Bet9ja new account offer ahead of the draw for qualifying fixtures.
Nigeria’s AFCON History and What the Target Means
Nigeria have won the Africa Cup of Nations three times, in 1980, 1994 and 2013. Their most recent title came at the tournament held in South Africa, when Sunday Mba scored the only goal of the final against Burkina Faso. Since 2013, the Super Eagles have twice reached the final, losing to Ivory Coast in 2023 on penalties in Abidjan, and were knocked out in the group stage of the 2024 edition. The 2027 tournament is being co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. For a winger who has just committed his international future to Nigeria and scored twice on debut, the goal of ending that 14 year wait for the continental title is not a casual talking point. It is the clearest possible statement of intent.
📌 Did You Know?
- Nigeria’s three Africa Cup of Nations titles came in 1980 (hosted in Nigeria), 1994 (hosted in Tunisia) and 2013 (hosted in South Africa). The 2013 winning squad, coached by Stephen Keshi, included players such as Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel, Emmanuel Emenike and Sunday Mba, whose goal against Burkina Faso remains one of the most celebrated in Nigerian football history.
- The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking the first time the tournament is held in East Africa. Nigeria are in Group L of the qualifying campaign alongside co-hosts Tanzania, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
- Millwall signed Femi Azeez from Reading in the summer of 2024 on a free transfer. His 11 Championship goals and eight assists this season represent a significant return on a deal that cost the Lions nothing in transfer fees, which is part of why they are comfortable holding firm at a £20 million plus valuation despite repeated bids.
- Nigeria lost the 2023 AFCON final to Ivory Coast on penalties in Abidjan after the game finished 1-1 following extra time. It was Nigeria’s fifth AFCON final appearance and their second final defeat, with the other coming against Ivory Coast at the 2006 tournament.
- Philip Otele, who played at left back for Nigeria in the Zimbabwe match, is a product of the same Ilorin football scene as several other Super Eagles players from the north central zone. His involvement alongside Azeez gave the starting XI a balance of British-born and home continent players that Eric Chelle has been deliberately building toward.
- Femi Azeez’s debut brace makes him only the second Super Eagles debutant to score twice in a competitive match in the last decade, a relatively rare achievement given how many players are introduced cautiously in their first appearances for the national team.
- Jamaica, who defeated India in the other Unity Cup semi final to set up a final against Nigeria on Saturday, have faced the Super Eagles twice previously in friendly matches. Nigeria won both encounters, with the most recent meeting taking place in 2014. Saturday’s final at The Valley will be the first competitive meeting between the two nations.
