As concerns over the Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup qualification continue to dominate discussions in Nigerian football circle, a former captain of the team, and a member of the 1980 AFCON winning squad, Coach Henry Nwosu has said that it will be a big blow for the country if Nigeria fails to qualify.
Coach Nwosu, however, remains optimistic that the Super Eagles can still qualify for the World’s prestigious tournament if all indices are in place. “I am always optimistic, I always believe in going forward, I don’t feel anything should hold me back and that’s where I see the Super Eagles.
“I shouldn’t say we cannot qualify. It’s possible that we can qualify, but we have to do our homework properly, get the right players in the right positions and also pray that our players are injury- free and in top shape. I know we’ll qualify,” he remarked .
“But if Nigeria does not qualify for the 2026 World Cup, it will be a big blow for the country because people like us will not be watching the games with all our hearts. Also, our football ranking will drop and other African countries will see us as an unserious country when it comes to football”, he added.
Nwosu, a former assistant coach to Onigbinde that took the Super Eagles to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan affirmed that Super Eagles can still go on to win their remaining six matches to qualify with the newly appointed coach, Eric Sekou Chelle once they can arrange the team early enough.
He said, ” the new Coach, Eric Chelle will want to prove himself and that’s why Nigerians believe that we must win all the remaining matches and qualify. I don’t have any fear about Super Eagles qualification. That is not undermining our opponents in the group. We can still win the remaining matches. Our opponents will not be sleeping, but we hope they will slip, while Nigeria sails through to the World Cup.”
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