Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was installed as the Super Eagles No 1 at the delayed 2023 AFCON last year in Cote d’Ivoire and he went on to justify such high rating with several command displays as Nigeria went all the way to the championship game against the host nation.
📹 | Watch the moment Nigerians thought their World Cup dreams were over 🙆🏽♂️ Nwabali nearly gave everyone a heart attack with this one! 🇳🇬
— OJ (@_Omoruyi_) October 10, 2025
It was that close 😳#2026WCQ #Nwabali #Nigeria #234FootyXtra #Explore pic.twitter.com/ebE64a6Weq
However, a year and half later the Chippa United shot stopper has posted some rather disturbing performances and attitude that have now caused calls that he gets a more worthy direct competitor.
“It’s very much like the fame and the little money have got to the head of the boy,” a team official told SCORENigeria
“He started out as part of the team, but these days you only see him all on his own, he thinks he has arrived.”
The stats showed that he only kept two clean sheets against Rwanda in the seven 2026 World Cup qualifiers he has played with his erratic behaviour in the home game against Rwanda in Uyo last month proving he may well not be reliable after all.
He bagged a yellow card for his altercation with a Rwanda forward as he attempted to take charge of his goal area.
He later explained that he was unhappy with the disrespectful conduct of the Rwandese players.
VAR and a less lenient referee would have promptly sent him off after he virtually manhandled an opponent inside his box as he tried to start another attack during this all-important game.
On Friday in Polokwane, he did not cover himself in glory when he failed to deal with a seemingly harmless cross even though Wilfred Ndidi was also not alert to clear the ball with a lone Lesotho player lurking to do damage with a consolation goal.
That goal has now put Nigeria under more pressure as they have to beat Benin by at least two clear goals instead of a goal to have any chance of winning this qualifying group Tuesday.
And then in stoppage time, Nigerians literally had their hearts in their mouths when Nwabali did not communicate well with Semi Ajayi on another long ball into the goal area as the final effort thankfully missed the mark that would have got the home team a late equaliser.
It is therefore not surprising now that fans are lamenting the absence of Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye due to suspension for a match-fixing charge in Italy.
Clearly, Chief Nwabali is no longer as safe he started out with the Super Eagles.
