- Asks for forgiveness from Nigerians
By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
Following disappointing results in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification series against South Africa and Benin Republic, the Super Eagles have returned to the country with a renewed determination to secure their place in the tournament co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
In a post on their official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, the national team expressed their dissatisfaction with their recent performances and committed to fighting hard to secure the tournament’s ticket.
The post reads: “We are back in the country and we are not happy about the way the two games panned out. We have had talks among ourselves and have resolved to fight hard till the end to ensure we do the impossible which is qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. We don’t take your support for granted, we thank you immensely.”
The Super Eagles’ World Cup hopes were dealt with a blow after a 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic at the Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Monday. This followed a 1-1 draw with South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, last Friday.
Consequently, these results leave the Super Eagles with only three points from a possible twelve in their qualification campaign so far. The team has vowed to turn their fortunes around in the remaining matches.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has requested a detailed technical report from the Nigerian Football Federation in the light of the Super Eagles’ poor performance during the June FIFA window.
Despite the setbacks, the three-time African champions are expected to keep their World Cup hopes alive when they face Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March 2025.
