Nigerians are known as prayerful people. To them, by special prayers, the hand of Divination can alter bad situations and turn them to good. It is so even in football. To them, it is not all about skill, but divine providence which can provide the elixir, when all things fail.
In a few days, football loving Nigerians will know whether the country’s senior male national team, the Super Eagles, will revive their faltering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign or finally dim the lights on the hopes of participating in the showpiece tournament scheduled to hold in North America.
The Super Eagles are expected to regroup in Uyo on September 1 ahead of crunch back-to-back qualifying matches against Rwanda on September 6 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium before travelling to Bloemfontein for a battle against Bafana Bafana of South Africa three days later.
These two matches are key to the team’s onward match, as any drop of points may further sink Nigeria into the abyss of a second consecutive absence on the world stage, having missed out in Qatar in 2022.
As it stands presently, Nigeria is six points short of South Africa and a point behind Rwanda and Benin Republic. With a likely three points deduction by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) dangling over South Africa following Lesotho’s protest over the fielding of an ineligible player during their previous encounter, Nigeria’s Super Eagles need the victories in these crunch matches to get their campaign back on track.
But who would have imagined that Nigeria, once a continental powerhouse of football and respected as an emerging global football superpower, would be struggling to qualify for a World Cup tournament where Africa would be represented by nine countries.
It is indeed sad that Nigeria’s aura of dignified performance and results have faded into uncertainty. The country’s World Cup and Olympic football records from the glory years of 1994,1996, and 1998, to the resilience of 2014, built on discipline, hunger, and tactical intelligence, have now given way to mediocrity, lackadaisical attitude and unnecessary ego on the side of the current bunch of players and administrative culpability from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Across the nation, hope and anxiety mix in the hearts of millions of football lovers as the Super Eagles are starring down the barrel of a World Cup qualifying disaster. The race for the ticket of Group C in the African qualifiers has become for Nigerians a nerve-wracking gamble. It hangs in the balance by a thread and the odds are no longer in their favour, all caused by some unexpected and uninspiring performances.
In the midst of the uncertainties, Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Chelle, who has a 23-man squad approved for him by the NFF for these two qualifying games, remains upbeat about the chances of the team qualifying for the World Cup in 2026.
Nigeria’s qualifying campaign was already midway with Josè Peseiro and Finidi George respectively, managing two games without a win, before the engagement of Chelle,who has overseen two fixtures so far, securing a 2-0 victory against Rwanda in Kigali and a scandalous 1-1 against Zimbabwe in Nigeria.
Chelle, who could not inspire Nigeria’s team in the just concluded CHAN ’24 tournament in East Africa, is however optimistic that the Super Eagles will surprise Nigerians, especially in the remaining four matches.
“People have already written us off. I am not bothered by that. I am concentrating on preparing my players for the remaining four matches. I think that we are going to surprise a lot of people,” Chelle told sports writers recently.
Right now, the dice is cast. Nigerians expect nothing short of hunger and tactical intelligence from the 23-man all Europe-based stars called up for the epic battles.
Unfortunately, Victor Boniface, Nathan Tella, and Sadiq Umar, would not be playing any part in these two all-important matches.
The players on whose shoulders the task of bringing the World Cup campaign back on track as released by the NFF are captain William Troost-Ekong, striker Victor Osimhen and also includes midfielders Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika and Wilfred Ndidi.
Among the forwards are Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Cyriel Dessers and Moses Simon.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali returns between the sticks, supported by defenders Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina and Bright Osayi-Samuel, among others.
Greece-based goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo returns, with Unity Cup stars Felix Agu and Benjamin Fredericks also named in the squad.
Forwards Christantus Uche and Tolu Arokodare earned call-ups after strong performances in June’s friendly against Russia in Moscow.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa Utd, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece).
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England); Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England).
Others are, Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes, France); Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany); Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC, Belgium).
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, Turkey); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio, Italy).
Also included are Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium) and Christantus Uche (Getafe, Spain).
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Turkey).
Others are Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Cyriel Dessers (Rangers, Scotland); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium)
By: Celestine Ogolo
