Nigeria forward Samuel Chukwueze says the Africa Cup of Nations deserves the same respect as the World Cup and the European Championship, amid renewed debate over the tournament’s scheduling in Morocco.
Originally planned for the summer, this year’s AFCON was moved to Dec. 21-Jan. 18, a shift that will see top European clubs lose key players during a crucial stage of their domestic seasons.
Chukwueze said the competition’s stature should not be questioned.
“Everybody wants to play in AFCON. It’s one of the best competitions in the world,” he told On Sports TV. “You have to respect AFCON the same way you respect the European Championship or the World Cup.”
The Fulham winger is expected to miss up to six matches for his club if Nigeria reach the round of 16.
“We understand it was scheduled at the wrong time of the year, but when it’s important and you get called up, you have to go,” Chukwueze said. “You don’t have any choice. Your club can’t stop you, and no one should say anything bad about AFCON. Yes, they put it at the wrong time, but saying it’s not a good or great competition is unacceptable.”
Chukwueze helped Nigeria open their Group C campaign with a 2-1 win over Tanzania and will face Tunisia in their next match on Saturday.
