Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking with Brila.net, Ighalo cited poor preparation as the main reason behind the Team’s failure.
Ighalo who featured for Nigeria at the 2018 tournament insists the Super Eagles was sabotaged and the result was inevitable.
“World Cup is the biggest tournament in the world. It’s world football, not club football,” said the former Forward.
“We need to do our assignments early and prepare well. If we do our homework and win our games, we won’t need someone to help us.
“The young ones want to play. When you see the teams at the World Cup, you will cry for Nigeria.
“We are one of the best teams in Africa, and if you see some of the teams that are going from South America, you just know they’ll just go make up the numbers.”
Ighalo Thinking Forward
With all hope of reaching the 2026 World Cup all but lost now, Odion Ighalo has urged the NFF to commence preparations for the next edition in earnest.
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Saudi Arabia will host the rest of the World as the tournament returns to the Arabian Peninsula in four years.
“Let’s give the boys their welfare for the 2030 World Cup. We are meant to start preparing now but I hope we don’t miss that,” Ighalo concluded.
Ighalo represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, he played a crucial role in helping Nigeria qualify featuring in seven matches.
