After a rather slow start, the World Cup fever has finally caught on in Nigeria despite the painful absence of the Super Eagles.
Fans are now enjoying the action that Qatar 2022 has delivered with some of them even saying it was better the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the football showpiece event otherwise they would have been disgraced.
The Black Stars of Ghana denied Nigeria the chance to feature at the World Cup and some Super Eagles fans admitted ‘The Old Enemy’ have surpassed expectations in Qatar.
“Ghana improved on the team that eliminated Nigeria on the road to the 2022 World Cup,” a fan, Barry Atarase, remarked.
“They brought in the likes of Mohammed Salisu, Tariq Lamptey and Inaki Williams in positions they were lacking and the result is what we are all seeing now in Qatar.
“They stretched Portugal, the same team who thrashed us 4-0 in a friendly before the World Cup, and against Korea, they not only won the game, they also played some good football.”
The rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana has not stopped fans from supporting the Black Stars in Qatar.
“I never thought I will be cheering Ghana at this World Cup, but that was what I did when they played against Korea,” said Taju Akambi.
“The win has got their campaign back on track and I will be backing them to get their revenge against Uruguay and qualify for the Round of 16.”
A student of Ekiti University, Dapo Adetunji, said he has been impressed with the football on display at this World Cup.
“The standard is very high and you will have to be a very brave man to even predict who will win this tournament,” he said.
“Brazil, Spain and France have so far impressed me, but after the shock results against Argentina (lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia), Belgium (lost 2-0 to Morocco) and Germany (lost 2-1 to Japan), it is still wide open and any team can win it.”
Saidu Mustapha, a civil servant in Abuja, said Qatar 2022 should be a wake-up call for the Super Eagles.
“Nigeria must put its house in order and quickly too because the African teams at this World Cup have proved they will not be pushovers at the next AFCON,” he warned.
“(Jose) Peseiro has boasted Nigeria will win the next AFCON, but if we are not organised, don’t plan well and don’t get our best players to play for us, that will only be a tall dream.”
“This World Cup has shown that both the NFF and the players must be a lot more professional if Nigeria were to qualify for the next World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico,” tasked sports journalist Ebuka Okechukwu.
“The bar has been raised and we must all step up our game if we want to get back to top reckoning.”
