EFE AMBROSE has been told he can return to Celtic as a World Cup winner.

The ultra-confident prediction on the day of the eagerly-anticipated kick-off in Brazil comes from a man who the Hoops defender cannot afford to ignore - president of the Nigerian FA Aminu Maigari.

The Super Eagles - held to a 2-2 draw by Scotland during their stuttering build-up to the finals - gave his confident verdict to his country's Ambassador to the United States when Ambrose and Co were given a high-level send-off from their training camp in America before becoming one of the last squads to fly into Brazil.

To back up his boast that they have the quality to go all the way, Maigari ponts to the fact that Nigeria are the current African Cup of Nations holders, and are taking part in their fifth consecutive World Cup finals.

He believes they are the real deal and the complete package with stars such as John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike and, of course, Ambrose.

Maigari said: "That is why they are currently the African champions, and they are about to be crowned World champions."

He added: "We've won the Under-17 World Cup more than twice. We have played in the final of the Under-20 World Cup.

"Why can't we take that excellence and recreate it at the senior level?

"I believe that this year will be the year the Super Eagles will shock the world, and these are the players who will do it."

Nigeria are currently priced at a massive 250-1 to prove Maigari right.

They are in Group F, where they kick off against Iran on Monday, before facing Bosnia-Herzegovina a week on Saturday and then Lionel Messi's Argentina in their final group game on Wedensday, June 25.

The bookies believe that's when the Super Eagles will be packing their bags and flying home. But, while not echoing the sensational statements of his FA's president, Ambrose believes Nigeria can cause an upset.

He said: "Expectations are something you build when you start playing.

"Football is decided on the pitch, and we will take it game by game, and see what happens."

Ambrose has tried his best not to be distracted by events back at Celtic, where Neil Lennon has been replaced by Ronny Deila.

He considers that Nigerian manager, Stephen Keshi, adopts the same approach which worked so successfully for Lennon, and said: "Our coach has brought in a winning mentality, just like at Celtic. There is a lot of confidence in the team.

"But you have to prepare in football, and I know the coaches and technical crew are putting everything in place to see we have a good training camp.

"Everything we need for the World Cup will be there, and we will just have to get ourselves ready."