By Abdulrahman Yahaya, NAN —
The first time I watched the Super Eagles play on the world stage was at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. I can recall the scene vividly as we gathered in our neighbour’s living room to watch the Super Eagles take on Argentina in the first group game.
It was a lively scene of patriotic Nigerians of different ethnicities. Our host was Gbagyi, there were Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo people, and others. But we were all united behind the Super Eagles for the love of football: for the love of our country, Nigeria.
The Super Eagles lost the game, but the joy of watching the Nigerian flag fly at the biggest stage of football was enough compensation for us.
The team gave a good account of themselves as Vincent Enyeama denied Lionel Messi on many occasions. We celebrated every save by the Super Eagles goalkeeper as if it was a goal.
Nigerians would feel the same joy in the next two World Cup in 2014 and 2018. Ahmed Musa’s brace against Argentina in 2014 and against Bosnia in 2018 is still fresh in the memories of most Nigerians.
Now the sad commentary is that the Super Eagles have failed to qualify for two world cup consecutively. Nigerians had barely recovered from missing out at the mundial in Qatar in 2022.
The Eagles again failed to make the cut for this year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. For a team with talented players across Europe, the failure to qualify for the first World Cup that will have 10 African countries is mind-boggling to say the least.
NAN Sports takes a look at what could have gone wrong for the Super Eagles to have allowed lightning to strike twice at a spot.
NFF GETS BULK OF THE BLAMES
Formal internationals and journalists alike have pointed fingers at the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the World Cup.
