“We are not putting ourselves under pressure” — Calvin Bassey

Nigeria and Fulham defender Calvin Bassey has expressed confidence in the Super Eagles’ ability to secure a vital victory against South Africa, despite their current position in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Super Eagles, under the guidance of head coach Finidi George, currently sit in third place in their group with two points from two matches. The upcoming match against Bafana Bafana is crucial for Nigeria’s chances of advancing to the World Cup, but Bassey insists the team is not feeling the pressure.

“Being in the third spot on the table doesn’t put us under any pressure because we haven’t lost any game and I think everyone knows how good we are now. Everyone doubted us at the AFCON, but we were able to get to the final,” Calvin Bassey told the Super Eagles media team.

The 23-year-old defender highlighted the team’s resilience and growth over the past two years, emphasizing their collective experience and youthful energy.

“I don’t think we’ve shown what we have; we still have more games to go. We’ve got a team that’s been together for two years, we are building something. And people forget that even though we are experienced players, we are still a young team. Obviously, we have some experience, but we are still young and it’s just about working and making sure that we have the vital moments in the game and take our chances and God willing, we come away with three points.”

The Super Eagles are preparing to face South Africa in a high-stakes matchday three encounter, with hopes of securing a victory to improve their standing in the group. The match is seen as a pivotal moment in their campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Fans and analysts will be closely watching to see if Calvin Bassey and his teammates can deliver a performance that reflects their potential and secure the much-needed three points against a competitive South African side.