‘We Are No Longer Giants’: AFCON Legend Slams Super Eagles As 2026 World Cup Hope Fades
- Friday Ekpo has criticised the Super Eagles after he called out the team’s poor performance and lack of dominance
- The Super Eagles have only secured one win out of six games in their World Cup qualifiers campaign so far
- Nigeria must defeat Rwanda and South Africa to revive their World Cup hopes when the competition resumes in September
The Super Eagles' hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup suffered a setback after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe.
Former Nigerian international, Friday Ekpo, has openly criticised the team’s performance, expressing concerns over their struggles against lower-ranked teams.
Source: Twitter
Nigeria had a promising start under coach Eric Chelle, securing a 2-0 victory against Rwanda in Kigali.
However, their fortunes changed at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, where they conceded a late equaliser against Zimbabwe, dropping two vital points in the qualification race, BBC reports.
This result leaves Nigeria with much to do as they prepare for crucial matches in September against Rwanda and South Africa.
AFCON legend Ekpo slams Super Eagles
Former Super Eagles midfielder, Friday Ekpo, voiced his frustration with Nigeria's performance in an interview with Brila.
The 1992 AFCON bronze medallist emphasised how Nigerian football has failed to adapt to the evolving landscape of African football.
“African football has progressed significantly. Nigeria still views some of these countries as small, but we need to step up as well. We are struggling to win matches against these teams,” Ekpo stated.
Ekpo went further to express his disappointment in Nigeria’s inability to dominate games.
“We are no longer giants; we have become ants. We cannot hold onto the ball and just pass it sideways. If we do not defeat Bafana Bafana in South Africa, our World Cup qualifying dream is over.”
Nigeria’s journey in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers
Nigeria’s World Cup qualification campaign has been far from convincing.
The Super Eagles opened their campaign with a shocking 1-1 home draw against Lesotho, raising concerns about the team’s ability to assert dominance.
Source: Twitter
Despite bouncing back with a 2-0 victory over Rwanda, their recent failure to secure maximum points against Zimbabwe has left the three-time AFCON champions in a precarious position.
With only a few matches remaining, Nigeria must secure wins in their upcoming fixtures.
The next test comes against Rwanda on September 3, followed by a high-stakes clash with South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on September 6.
These matches will be crucial in determining whether the Super Eagles can regain their former glory and secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigerian forward sends message to Chelle
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Eric Chelle left some in-form players out of his first Super Eagles squad, and one of them has fired a warning to the coach with a winning goal for his club after the international break.
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"We will make it to the World Cup, chill": Super Eagles defender reacts after Zimbabwe draw
Chelle was questioned over the snubbing of in-form forward Cyriel Dessers and calling up Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface, who has been out of form for a while.
Dessers returned to action with Rangers after the international break and scored the last-gasp winner over Dundee, helping the team win 4-3 against the relegation side.
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Source: Legit.ng
