Operation Storm the Bastille

Ayo Akinfe

[1] I have named Nigeria's campaign to win the 2030 World cup Operation Storm the Bastille because of the French element to it. I want to us to launch this programme now. It should be a project on a par with Operation Dynamo, Operation Barbarossa, Operation, Overlord or Operation Bagration as far as I am concerned as winning the World Cup will mark a turning point in Nigeria's trajectory as a nation

[2] On the issue of giving the project a French name, first of all, the idea of the World Cup came from a Frenchman Jules Rimet. He  was the head of the French FA and the Fifa president. It was he who came up with the idea of the World Cup and the trophy was originally named after him

[3] Despite this, France did not win the World Cup until 1998. Teams like Brazil, Germany, Italy, Uruguay, England and Argentina all beat them to it

[4] Why I have gone for the French connection is that France missed out on the 1990 and 1998 tournaments but bounced back in 1998 to win the trophy. I believe Nigeria will do likewise in 2030 having missed out on the 2022 and 2026 tournaments

[5] I will be brave enough to predict that Nigeria will face Italy in the 2030 final. They too have missed out of the last two World Cups

[6] Enroute to the final, Nigeria will have to beat France, who will be the defending champions, as they will almost certainly win the ongoing 2026 tournament. Maybe beat France in the semi final

[7] In the quarter final, it will be good to knock out our former colonial masters England

[8] In the group stage, we will almost certainly get at least one big team like Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands or Belgium. Beating them would be making a bold statement

[9] To achieve this, We need to start working now. Eric Chelle is actually doing the right thing, looking for teenagers and players in their early 20s who will come of age by 2030. Nigerians may not know it but Zadok Yohanna is actually older than Lamine Yamal and just a year younger than Yan Diamonde and Endrick                                                                                                                          

[10] If some of these players hit the limelight now like Zadok Yohanna, by 2030, they will be playing for the likes of PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Borrussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Juventus, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man United, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Napoli, etc. This will have them fully equipped to compete for the big prize!

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