Babangida Blames Complacency for Super Eagles' World Cup Miss
Former Nigeria international Tijani Babangida has asserted that the Super Eagles would have secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if they had sustained the high level of performance and commitment demonstrated during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. This statement comes in the wake of Nigeria's disappointing failure to qualify for back-to-back World Cup tournaments, following a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Struggles in World Cup Qualifiers
The Super Eagles faced significant challenges in the group stage of the World Cup qualifiers, managing to accumulate only three points from their initial four matches. Their campaign was marred by draws against Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, compounded by a 2-1 defeat to Gernot Rohr's Cheetahs in Abidjan. These results left the team in a precarious position, ultimately contributing to their elimination from World Cup contention.
Contrasting AFCON 2025 Performance
In stark contrast, under the guidance of manager Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles delivered an impressive performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The team adopted an exciting and attacking style of football, emerging as the highest-scoring side in the tournament and securing a bronze medal. Babangida, who attended the event in Morocco, praised the team's fresh approach and determination.
"I was in Morocco myself. I watched how the Super Eagles played, and it was very interesting—fresh players, a fresh start. Everybody was fighting to succeed, and if they had fought that way, we would have been at the World Cup after five matches," Babangida stated in an interview with AySuga Channel.
Looking Ahead to Friendlies and Coaching Uncertainty
As the Super Eagles prepare for upcoming friendly matches against World Cup-bound Asian teams Iran and Jordan, Babangida emphasized the importance of building on their AFCON success. However, he highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the future of manager Eric Chelle as a potential obstacle.
"Now that the friendlies are here, the coach will continue from where he stopped because many people will be watching. It's just a friendly, but we are waiting to see what the team will bring," Babangida remarked. "Coming into the friendlies, we are still dealing with a coach whose future we don't know. It's time for us now to start building our team. I hope the issue of this coach will be resolved so that at least there will be concentration, and we can know the team. If he leaves and another coach comes, then there will be a new system and different players."
Nigeria is set to face Iran today in Turkey, followed by a match against Jordan four days later to conclude their March fixtures. These games serve as crucial opportunities for the team to regroup and demonstrate progress amid ongoing managerial speculation.
