Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has called on his teammates and Nigerian football fans to remain positive and keep moving forward following the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Speaking during a social media livestream, the Galatasaray forward broke his silence on Nigeria’s latest setback, describing the experience as painful but urging acceptance and progress.
“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,” Osimhen said.
The 2026 World Cup, which is currently underway, is the first edition expanded to 48 teams, with Africa allocated nine automatic qualification slots and an additional playoff route. Despite this increased opportunity, Nigeria failed to secure qualification, finishing second in their group before being eliminated by the Democratic Republic of Congo in the continental playoffs.
The result means the Super Eagles will miss a second consecutive World Cup, having last appeared at the tournament in 2018.
The disappointment is particularly significant given the quality within the current squad, which includes players such as Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman.
Much of Nigeria’s failure has been linked to instability in management during the qualifying campaign, which saw three different coaches handle various stages of the process. The lack of continuity was widely seen as a major factor in the team’s struggles.
However, there have been signs of progress under current head coach Eric Chelle, who has introduced a more structured tactical approach and helped restore some stability to the team.
Although several key players are expected to be in the latter stages of their careers by the time the next World Cup cycle arrives, there is growing belief that the Super Eagles can rebuild and mount a stronger qualification campaign under Chelle’s leadership.