Following Nigeria Super Eagles’ elimination in the just concluded FIFA world cup Africa playoff in Morocco, many football enthusiasts across the country and globe remain frustrated with what they feel only showcases another low point for the nation’s football.
Failing to reach a record seventh senior men’s FIFA world cup appearance having qualified for six editions already in the last eight while missing out in the 2006 and 2022 world cup editions.
This time, a third miss adds to the numbers with the 2026 FIFA World Cup already missed following Congo DR captain, Chancel Mpenba’ s penalty conversion.
CAUSES
It must be noted that the world cup qualifiers for the forthcoming Mundial commenced in November 15, 2023 with Africa set to benefit nine slots for the first time but Nigeria’s approach to one of the most lucrative platforms for men’s football remained a shame up until the last kick of elimination.
On a first count, clutched in Group C of the World Cup qualifying group Africa, the Super Eagles under the helm of Portuguese,Jose Peseiro we’re held to shocking one all draws with Lesotho and Zimbabwe across two fixtures held on November 16th and 19th respectively.
Experts say these two fixtures should have easily been won save for the overtly pragmatic approach of the Portuguese whose methods nearly benefitted the nation in the AFCON title miss against Cote d’Ivoire earlier.
Contractual standoffs will lead to the inevitable exit of the Portuguese, but the appointment of Finidi George in April will see infighting and a lack of competitive results worsen the campaign fortunes off a 1-1 draw with South Africa and a disappointing 2-1 loss to neighbours Benin Republic.
A development that eventually led to the employment of Frenchman Eric Chelle in January 2025 to lead the Super Eagles through a task painted in diverse shades of impossibilities.
Contrary to popular opinions then, the Frenchman would go on to do an appreciable job in Group C that earned the Super Eagles a playoff spot enroute to scooping an overall seven wins,3 draws and no losses in all football engagements.
Critics maintain that had Eric Chelle been in charge of the team early enough, the Super Eagles chances of reaching a seventh World Cup could have been a huge possibility but the problems within the team still provided massive concerns.
Technical study groups have long identified Nigeria Super Eagles’ midfield as the most weakened area of operation with hardly any midfield combinations easily recognized as world class.
While the likes of Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyedika approached as reliable, their levels of resilience and adaptive tendencies remain hugely questionable.
Hardly being able to resist sustained pressure and reboot for the offensive when it mattered most as easily seen in the game against DR Congo with clear shades of dominance by the Congolese.
Besides, there have been huge criticisms on Frank Onyeka’ s poor pass completion ratio but reliably a destructive presence in breakup plays.
Suggestive approaches submit that the real area of work is the midfield and if taken good care of, the Super Eagles might be up for bigger fishes.
While the midfield remained suspect for years, the attacking department boasted some of the best personnel whose increasing desire to deliver at the top is easily frustrated by a midfield dysfunction.
In quick summation, there have been arguments that the Super Eagles are not a rehabilitation ground but a place for consolidation for the country’ s best legs across the globe.
The NFF snag towards a swift appointment of qualified and reputable personnel plus unnecessary troubles pertaining to Players bonuses and allowances remain documented shortfalls.
Besides, despite increasing efforts to lift the standard of the NPFL, the NFF must show great determination in repositioning the NPFL to a globally competitive platform where talents can easily graduate into the Super Eagles and still maintain its competitive levels.
OUTCOME
The greatest outcome of this difficulty will be Nigeria missing out on a guaranteed World Cup participating fee of nin million dollars plus an accrued 50 million dollars of winning the competition.
Other outcomes will see most Nigeria Super Eagles players valuation dropping across the global football market as well as the devaluation of the Super Eagles global brand which is presented with a chance to redemption at the forthcoming Afcon in Morocco.
CURRENT PROGRESS
Finally, it must be noted that the current Super Eagles remain a work in progress with new additions like the efficient Benjamin Fredrick, Akor Adams and partly Tosin Arokodare coupled with a much-improved Calvin Bassey and Zaidu Sanusi amongst other noticeable progress pointing towards a promising future ahead.
While realities after the Nigeria Congo DR game easily suggests the Super Eagles would have been very lucky to get away with a result on the night owing to a more resilient and organized Congolese display, it must be stated that there’s much work to be done on a team that looked easily like an Osimhen-inspired side that easily switches off in the absence of the reliable talisman with Akor Adams and Tosin Arokodare failing to muster any form of impact in Osimhen’ s absence.
Going forward, it is easier to advise that every invitee to the Super Eagles team must be a regular starter or squad member to deserve call up, must be fit and ready and not necessarily treating the convergence as a rehabilitation process but a chance to represent one of the most glamorous African national teams.
Personally, I believe Eric Chelle deserves huge commendation for nearly delivering on a very impossible task but must pay very close attention to a very dynamic and resourceful midfield combinations going forward especially with the AFCON just by the corner and hoping that players with diverse levels of game winning characteristics will be added to the team soonest.
Written by Yaksat Maklek
A Journalist with Prtvc ,
Plateau State Nigeria.
