The first time I watched the Super Eagles play on the world stage was at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. I can recall the scene vividly as we gathered in our neighbor’s living room to watch the Super Eagles take on Argentina in the first group game.
It was a lively scene of patriotic Nigerians of different ethnicities. Our host was Gbagyi, there were Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo people, and others. But we were all united behind the Super Eagles for the love of football: for the love of our country, Nigeria.
The Super Eagles lost the game, but the joy of watching the Nigerian flag fly at the biggest stage of football was enough compensation for us.
The team gave a good account of themselves as Vincent Enyeama denied Lionel Messi on many occasions. We celebrated every save by the Super Eagles goalkeeper as if it was a goal.
Nigerians would feel the same joy in the next two World Cup in 2014 and 2018. Ahmed Musa’s brace against Argentina in 2014 and against Bosnia in 2018 is still fresh in the memories of most Nigerians.
Now the sad commentary is that the Super Eagles have failed to qualify for two world cup consecutively. Nigerians had barely recovered from missing out at the mundial in Qatar in 2022.
The Eagles again failed to make the cut for this year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. For a team with talented players across Europe, the failure to qualify for the first World Cup that will have 10 African countries is mind-boggling to say the least.
NAN Sports takes a look at what could have gone wrong for the Super Eagles to have allowed lightning to strike twice at a spot.
NFF GETS BULK OF THE BLAMES
Formal internationals and journalists alike have pointed fingers at the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the World Cup.
They accused the Federation of not learning anything from losing the World Cup ticket to Ghana in 2022. The federation has also been criticized for poor judgment in hiring coaches for the team.
Speaking in one of the episodes of The Obi One podcast, former Nigerian and Chelsea Legend, John Mikel, said that the NFF is to blame for the team’s failure, citing poor mismanagement. Obi demands an overhaul of the federation.
‘’You have to say stop. You want to rip up the whole thing. Corruption playbook. Enough is enough. Take a break and do the right thing. Football is the one thing that brings people together in Nigeria, whether you are Christian or Muslim.
The major tribes- Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa- the one thing that brings us together is football. That is the one thing we look up to.
It does not matter what is going on in the country; when there is a World Cup, we throw everything out of the window and support our own. We support Nigeria. And for the past eight years now, the NFF have deprived us of that. They have deprived us of that by mismanagement and corruption.’’
For former Juventus and Super Eagles midfielder, Sunday Oliseh, the NFF needs to act to save Nigerian football, saying missing out on a third World Cup will be disastrous for the country’s football.
‘’If we do not act today, we will be the next Italy of world football; believe me, that will happen. Make no mistake. A third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup will kill Nigerian football.
“It is a mathematical proof. A 12-year absence from the World Cup destroys sponsorship, kills the dream of the next generation, and erases a nation from the global scouting map.”
The Guild of Sports Editors of Nigeria did not mince words in blaming the NFF for the Super Eagles’ failure. In a statement by President Tony Ubani and Secretary Dare Esan, the Editors called out the NFF for wasting time in appointing a substantive manager for the team.
‘’We watched in dismay as the NFF wasted precious time in employing a substantive manager after dispensing with Jose Peseiro, who managed just two points from two games.
“The management of the Finidi George situation revealed a lack of urgency in addressing the rising concern over the team’s qualifying prospects.
HOW THE NFF FUMBLE ANOTHER WORLD CUP TICKET
When FIFA announced that Africa would have 9 slots for its new 48-nation World Cup and a possible one more qualifying via the intercontinental play-offs, many Nigerian football fans were delighted, believing qualifying to the 2026 World Cup will be a cinch for the Super Eagles. It was an easier path to part to return to the world stage, they thought.
These believe was further strengthened when the draws for the qualifiers were made. Nigeria was drawn in group C with Lesotho, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Benin, and Rwanda, with only the table topper getting automatic ticket to the World Cup.
The Super Eagles, being the biggest football team on paper, were expected to clinch the automatic ticket at the end of the qualifiers. But, as always, football delivered another shocker.
The Super Eagles under Peseiro could not win the first two games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe; both games ended in a 1-1 draw. And, sadly, in both games, it was the Super Eagles that held their opponents to a draw.
The team looked unorganized and shapeless. Nigerians called for Peseiro’s sack, saying the risk of not qualifying for the World Cup should be averted. The NFF kept faith with him.
Peseiro would go on and lead the Eagles to silver medals at the AFCON 2023, losing only the final against host Ivory Coast. After that fit, some Nigerian football fans believe he could now lead the Eagles to the World Cup with automatic ticket.
But this time it was the NFF that thought otherwise. Peseiro did not get another contract. The Portuguese left on March 1, 2024.
The NFF announced Finidi George on April 29, 2024, as Peseiro’s successor. Finidi was part of Peseiro’s coaching crew and had won the Nigeria Professional Football League with Enyimba FC in June 2023.
For most Nigerians, he was not the right man for the job. Their fears materialised as Finidi, just like Peseiro, could not win his first two games of the qualifiers. Nigeria held South Africa to a 1-1 draw in Uyo and lost 2-1 to Benin in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Finidi was sacked.
The Super Eagles got a third coach for their World Cup qualifiers in Malian Coach Eric Chelle. The former Mali coach managed to qualify Nigeria to the continental playoffs. But to the consternation of Nigerians, DR Congo beat Nigeria to the intercontinental ticket.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw, and DR Congo edged Nigeria 4-3 on Penalties. Nigeria had to wait for another four years again.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Olubunmi Haruna, Sports Manager with Nigeria Info, Abuja, says Nigeria lost the ticket because the NFF was not organised.
“The NFF were not organised. They took many things for granted, and that is why we lost the ticket.”
Haruna also urged the NFF to pay attention to the Flying Eagles and the Golden Eaglets.
“This failure is partly because we have failed recently with the age grade teams. The effect will continue if we don’t do better. We have to start now,” he said.
Godwin Bamigboye, the Chairman of the FCT Coaches Association, attributed Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the World Cup to late preparations and lack of commitment.
“We hardly qualify because we don’t prepare. How can you spend a few days preparing to qualify for the World Cup? We need to be serious. What you garbage in is what you get in return.”
He urged the NFF to make the Super Eagles more competitive if they want Nigeria to qualify for the next World Cup.
“The NFF should fund the team well. We need to give more players opportunities to encourage competition in the team. That way you will get the best players to play the World Cup qualification.
A FLASH OF HOPE
It is worthy of mention that the NFF seem to have gotten it right with Chelle on the driver`s seat. The Super Eagles coach has given Nigerians a reason to believe that the Super Eagles will soon be back at the world stage.
The Super Eagles played the best football at the AFCON 2025 and lost only to the host in the semi-final, on shootouts. The Malian has made the team competitive by introducing new talents.
Nigerians will hope that the NFF will consolidate on this to ensure the Super Eagles come back better in 2030. (NAN).
