Nigeria’s national team is staring at the possibility of missing another FIFA World Cup after a turbulent qualifying campaign — www.isagoal.com reports.
The Super Eagles currently sit fourth in their group, already six points behind South Africa, who are in command of the table.
Soccernet.ng revealed that Paris FC forward Moses Simon has refused to blame any single individual, insisting the problems run much deeper than one coach or player.
“I cannot say or point finger on someone because there are a lot of stuff going on,” Simon admitted in an interview with ESPN.
Nigeria’s qualifying run has been derailed by constant managerial turnover, with three different coaches taking charge of just six matches.
José Peseiro started the campaign with only two points in two games before Finidi George stepped in, adding just one point from his stint.
Current boss Eric Sekou Chelle has slightly steadied the ship, collecting four points from his opening two fixtures.
Simon pointed out that the team’s struggles extend beyond the dugout, citing the absence of several key players in critical matches.
“About six key players were not there in June, including myself, and that was also a problem,” he explained.
Victor Osimhen’s injuries and the absence of other core players have left Nigeria’s attack blunt in games they were expected to dominate.
The campaign has gone off-script against teams like Rwanda, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe, leaving the Eagles scrambling for momentum.
Nigeria’s qualification now depends heavily on the next two matches, starting with Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday.
A tricky away fixture against South Africa in Bloemfontein follows, and defeat in either game could officially end their 2026 hopes.
This article was updated 2 hours ago