Argentina crushed Nigeria’s Flying Eagles 4-0 on Wednesday night, October 8, 2025, to send them crashing out of the FIFA U20 World Cup in what turned out to be one of the team’s most humiliating defeats in recent years. The round of 16 clash took place at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile, and from the very first whistle, it was clear that the South Americans were in control and ready to show why they remain one of the most successful nations in youth football.
The Flying Eagles came into the game with hope after scraping through the group stage, but that hope faded quickly when Alejo Sarco fired Argentina ahead just two minutes into the match following a clever pass from Dylan Gorosito. The early goal unsettled the Nigerians, who struggled to settle into their rhythm, losing possession too easily and giving the Argentines space to dictate the tempo. The pressure eventually paid off again in the 23rd minute when Maher Carrizo doubled the lead with a precise finish that left the Nigerian goalkeeper helpless. By halftime, Argentina were already in full control, while the Flying Eagles looked out of ideas and unable to match their opponents’ intensity.
Things went from bad to worse in the second half as Carrizo struck again in the 53rd minute to complete his brace, finishing off another slick team move set up by Milton Delgado. Argentina continued to press forward relentlessly, and in the 66th minute, substitute Mateo Silvetti made it four with a calm finish after being played through by Gianluca Prestianni. The Flying Eagles had no response, no creativity, and no defensive shape to contain the waves of Argentine attacks that kept coming. By the final whistle, the Nigerian players could barely hide their disappointment as the scoreboard told the painful story of their exit.
The defeat summed up Nigeria’s inconsistent performance throughout the tournament. They began their campaign with a 2–1 loss to Norway, then managed a thrilling 3–2 victory over Saudi Arabia in their second group game before playing out a 1–1 draw with Colombia to qualify for the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams. But against Argentina, their flaws were brutally exposed. The South Americans, who have already won the U20 World Cup a record six times, showed the difference in class, discipline, and finishing that separates the best from the rest.
For Nigeria, this loss will sting for a long time. The Flying Eagles lacked the cutting edge in attack, struggled to maintain possession, and were too fragile defensively to stand up to Argentina’s pace and precision. While there were moments of individual effort, the overall team performance left much to be desired. As Argentina march on in search of another world title, Nigeria head home in disappointment, forced once again to reflect on what went wrong and what must change before another generation of players steps onto the global stage.
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