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For most Nigerians, supporting their national team is something they look forward to, especially against rival teams. However, the Super Eagles’ recent performances have been so poor that many fans have been clamoring for change. Especially when you consider that they had an excellent start in the African Cup of Nations 2023. Well, the Super Eagles are currently struggling with their World Cup qualifiers and the future looks pretty bleak.
So do they have what it takes? Maybe. Anyway, in this article we will look at how they fared in the AFCON and the impact of their upcoming matches on their World Cup qualification hopes.
So do they have what it takes? Maybe. Anyway, in this article we will look at how they fared in the AFCON and the impact of their upcoming matches on their World Cup qualification hopes.
AFCON 2024 Performance
Many people considered Nigeria as favorites for AFCON, and they wouldn’t have been wrong. This is because the team currently has players who ply their trade in the best clubs in Europe and who consistently deliver great performances. We saw what Victor Osimhen did with Napoli last season, where he won the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years. Oh, let’s not forget Ademola Lookman’s impressive hat trick in the recent UEFA Europa League final, where his 5-star performance saw his team become champions.
The fact that the Super Eagles were in a group with teams like hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations made it difficult to become continental champions. After the group stage, the team was able to qualify as second place, two points behind the group leader, Equatorial Guinea. In the round of 16 we saw a different Nigerian team, who defeated their main rival, Cameroon. Nigeria advanced thanks to a double from Atlanta’s Ademola Lookman, and the match ended with a score of 2-0.
In the quarterfinals, they faced Angola, a team that denied them the opportunity to participate in the 2008 World Cup. Ademola Lookman rose to the occasion again, as the team achieved a 1-0 victory over Angola . They were on their way to slaughtering all their rivals as they got closer to winning the trophy. They also beat South Africa’s Bafana Bafana after a 1-1 draw in a tense penalty shootout in the 2023 African Cup of Nations semi-finals.
Unfortunately, the Super Eagles were unable to stop the Ivory Coast Elephants in the finals of the competition as they lost 2-1 to the hosts.
William Troost-Ekong scored Nigeria’s only goal in the match. The victory could have given the West African giants their fourth AFCON trophy, but they failed to cross the finish line. After the match, then Nigeria coach José Peseiro said: “The team showed great character and were fantastic throughout the tournament.”
Recent matches and World Cup qualifiers
Following the 2024 Nations Cup, the Nigerian Football Federation sacked its Portuguese tactician, Peseiro, and hired former Nigeria player, Finidi George, to oversee the team’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States. from America. The most interesting issue is that, despite being the big favorites to advance after the draws, the Super Eagles face a tough challenge to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after recording several bad results.
As things stand, they sit fifth in their FIFA World Cup qualifying group, which includes the likes of Benin Republic, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The team recently drew 1-1 with South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. Things have become even more difficult for the Nigerians, who lost their last match, 2-1 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny stadium against Benin, in a match in which they were clear favorites.
To advance from this group, they would have to win the remaining matches, and the chances of doing so are quite slim. However, Wilfred Ndidi’s words could give fans a glimmer of hope. The Leicester midfielder said: “We have a great team and we can achieve great things if we work together.”
Here is a summary of Nigeria’s recent matches:
- Benin Republic 2-1 Nigeria
- Nigeria 1-1 South Africa
Nigeria Upcoming Matches: Super Eagles Upcoming Matches
With FIFA World still a couple of years away, the Super Eagles would have to face their next matches with more energy and desire to win. The matches ahead are challenging and will test the resolve of the Nigerians and the team.
World Cup Qualifiers
Below are the upcoming matches that would determine the fate of the Super Águilas with respect to qualifying for the World Cup.
- Rwanda vs Nigeria – March 25, 2025
- Nigeria vs Zimbabwe – March 24, 2025
- Nigeria vs. Rwanda – September 1, 2025
- South Africa vs Nigeria – September 8, 2025
- Lesotho vs Nigeria – October 6, 2025
- Nigeria vs. Benin – October 13, 2025
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What the future holds
With the team’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup not firmly in their hands, the future is uncertain. To secure an unlikely spot at the World Cup, Nigerian fans will have to rely on other teams to do them a favor and hope their players improve their form.
We cannot say for sure whether Nigeria will make it or not for now, but if we go by the track record of this West African team, we can say that there is still hope for the Super Eagles. This is because it would be foolish to write off Nigeria when it comes to African football. There are so many talents at your disposal to make a statement.
Conclusion
While they had an excellent outing in the just-concluded AFCON 2024, the Super Eagles are currently struggling for form. They are currently fifth in their World Cup qualifying group, meaning they could miss the FIFA World Cup again, after missing out on the last edition in Qatar following a loss to West African rivals Ghana. So what does this mean for the future of this African giant? We hope they can return to their glory days and climb out of the current depth of terrible performances.
