Former Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has launched a scathing attack on Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, branding his behaviour "a shame to Nigeria." This comes after Chelle suggested that voodoo practices by the Democratic Republic of Congo contributed to Nigeria's devastating penalty shootout loss in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff final.
Chelle's Controversial Voodoo Allegations
The incident that sparked the outrage occurred during the tense penalty shootout on December 1, 2025. Chelle was seen in a heated altercation with the DR Congo bench. In a post-match interview with ESPN, the coach claimed he saw a member of the Leopards' staff performing what he believed to be a ritual.
"During the penalty session, a guy from DR Congo did some voodoo. Every time, every time, every time, so this is why I was a little bit nervous after him," Chelle stated. "I saw something like that (raising his hand, chanting something). I don't know if it's water or something."
This loss means Nigeria will miss its second consecutive FIFA World Cup, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament. The defeat has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian football community, with fans and former players expressing deep disappointment.
Yakubu's Furious Rebuttal and Call for Grace
Yakubu Aiyegbeni, a legendary figure in Nigerian football, did not mince words when responding to the coach's comments. Speaking to Sports Casting, the former striker completely dismissed the voodoo narrative as an embarrassing excuse.
"If it was down to Voodoo, I think an African country would have won the World Cup a long time ago," Yakubu argued logically. "He [Chelle] just needed to congratulate DR Congo and say well done for winning, rather than bringing shame to Nigeria."
He emphasised that the coach's actions and words reflected poorly on the entire nation. "He is a shame to Nigeria, a coach coming out and saying it’s because of Voodoo. We lost on penalties, he tried to fight someone, and they had to pull him back. It is not a good look for him or for Nigeria," Yakubu added.
Instead of supernatural excuses, Yakubu pointed to the clear, on-field reasons for the defeat. "Our penalties were quite poor. The pressure was too much for the players to deal with," he stated bluntly.
Potential Sanctions and a Lost Generation
Chelle's outburst may have serious professional consequences. Reports from The Athletic indicate that FIFA or the Confederation of African Football (CAF) could sanction the manager with a fine and a touchline ban for his violent conduct during the shootout.
Beyond the immediate controversy, Yakubu expressed profound sadness for the current squad of Super Eagles players. He highlighted the human cost of the failure, noting that many talented individuals may never grace the world's biggest football stage.
"We didn’t qualify last time, and now Nigeria is going to miss the World Cup, too. It's sad that most of these players will never play in a World Cup," he lamented. "When it comes to 2030, it's going to be a long time, and their age already is going to be gone... I’m sad for this squad."
While the nation mourns the World Cup qualification failure, attention is already shifting to the next major challenge. Nigerian fans are now looking ahead to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where expectations will be high for the Super Eagles to compete for the title and restore some pride.
Yakubu is not the only ex-international to criticise Chelle's remarks. Former captain Mikel Obi also labelled the voodoo claims as "ridiculous," though he partly attributed the team's poor performance to player protests over unpaid wages before an earlier qualifier against Gabon.
