The Eaglets are in the same group as Mexico for the World Cup.
The Golden Eaglets on Monday evening left Nigeria for a two -week training camp ahead of the October 17 kick off of the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
The travelling contingent had 25 players and 10 officials who departed from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday aboard Emirates Airline for Dubai.
The Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Bolaji Abdullahi, coincidentally, met the team at the local wing of the airport when they flew in from Calabar.
He told the players and officials that Nigerians and the Federal Government would be backing them all the way even and challenged them to win the World Cup and justify the huge expectations of Nigerians.
“I want to remind you of the call by President Goodluck Jonathan who asked you to go and win the World Cup when you came back from the CAN Under-17 Championship in Morocco with the silver medal; we believe you can do it,” he said.
He told the contingent to be good ambassadors of the country at the World Cup, enjoining them to make discipline their watchword.
“As young athletes you need discipline to excel and I want you to be disciplined in your conduct at the World Cup.”
Responding on behalf of the team, Head Coach, Manu Garba, thanked the Minister for his unwavering support for the Golden Eaglets through the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), pledging that the players would, as usual, do everything humanly possible to bring honour to the country.
The Golden Eaglets are drawn against the defending champions, Mexico, alongside Iraq and Sweden.
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