Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has expressed his disappointment over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the country’s second consecutive absence from football’s biggest tournament as heartbreaking.
Key Highlights:
The expanded 48-team World Cup, currently underway, features nine automatic qualification spots for African nations, along with an additional playoff place. Despite the increased number of available slots, Nigeria failed to secure qualification after finishing second in their qualifying group before losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the continental playoffs.
The result extended the Super Eagles’ World Cup drought, with Nigeria now missing the tournament for the second straight edition after also failing to qualify for the 2022 finals.
The country’s last appearance at the FIFA World Cup came in Russia in 2018.
Speaking during a recent social media livestream, Osimhen admitted the disappointment has been difficult for both him and his teammates.
“It’s bad, not just for me but for the rest of the guys. We’ve missed out twice in a row. Sometimes life happens, so we just have to keep moving,” the 27-year-old striker said.
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Osimhen, widely regarded as one of Africa’s finest forwards, is among several members of the current Super Eagles squad who are yet to experience playing at the FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria’s failure to qualify has sparked widespread criticism from football fans and analysts, especially considering the country’s rich football history and the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, which many believed would improve the Super Eagles’ chances of reaching the finals.
Attention is now expected to shift towards rebuilding the national team ahead of upcoming international competitions, with hopes that the Super Eagles can return to winning ways and secure qualification for the next World Cup.
For Osimhen and millions of Nigerian supporters, however, the disappointment of missing another World Cup remains a painful reminder of the challenges facing one of Africa’s traditional football powerhouses.
