The Super Eagles last won their opening game at the tournament in 1998 and the midfielder is hoping for a change in fortune against the Blazers
John Obi Mikel is expecting a 'tough' encounter when Nigeria square up against Croatia on Saturday.
The Super Eagles open their 2018 Fifa World Cup campaign on Saturday and they face Zlatko Dalic’s men at the Kaliningrad Arena.
And team captain Mikel believes, although they can match a fantastic Croatia side, the tie will not be a stroll in the park.
“Croatia are a fantastic team with fantastic players, but we have good players too,” Mikel was quoted as saying on ESPN.