Super Eagles defenders don’t have capacity to stop Messi -Taribo

Super Eagles legend Taribo West has expressed concerns over the current crop of defenders in the national team, saying they do not have what it takes to stop Argentina’s Lionel Messi at next month’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Gernot Rohr’s men will face the La Albiceleste in their final Group D game on June 26 after they must have played Croatia to kick off their campaign and Iceland in matchday two.

The two-time World champions will be facing the Eagles a fifth time in the group stages of the World Cup, and have won on all four previous occasions.

Taribo, who featured for Nigeria at the France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002 World Cups, in a chat with Complete Sports over the weekend, advised ahead of the World Cup clash that a player be set aside specially to mark Messi, to deny him any breathing space.

“We have good defenders, but from what I have seen, they don’t have what it takes to stop Messi at the World Cup. Stopping Messi requires special tactics which they don’t have,” the legendary defender was quoted to have said.

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“We don’t have the kind of defenders that can mark out Messi for 90 minutes and that will make it difficult for the Super Eagles. My advice is that they should not concentrate too much on him. During my playing days, you need just one player that will mark him out and throughout 90 minutes, there won’t be breathing space for him.”

Taribo however expresses confidence that with excellent preparations, Nigeria will excel in Russia.

“If you see the way they are preparing for the World Cup and the way they played during the qualifying series, I will say they did incredibly well and if they can continue like that, definitely they will excel in Russia.

“I believe this team will do well because they are strong and young and that is some of the things you need in a team.

”A team like this present Super Eagles can create surprises and also go far in the World Cup. I have no doubt that they will make it from the group as long as they play as a team and remain focused,” he said.

The Super Eagles are set to face DR Congo in a friendly at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The team is also billed to face England in London on June 2 followed by a clash with Czech Republic four days after, before finally jetting out to Russia.

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