Osimhen encourages Eagles to look ahead after World Cup disappointment

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has called on his teammates and Nigerians to keep pushing forward after missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He said it has been tough to accept that Nigeria is not in the tournament for the second time in a row.

In a recent social media chat, the Galatasaray player spoke about a qualifying campaign that looked promising but ended in disappointment for the Super Eagles.

“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 started last week, is special because it is the first time the tournament has 48 teams. This makes it the richest edition ever for all the countries involved.

Africa got nine automatic spots and one more spot in the intercontinental playoffs. Yet, Nigeria could not make it through. They finished second in their qualifying group and were knocked out by the Democratic Republic of Congo in the playoffs.

This setback means the Super Eagles will miss the World Cup for the second time in a row. Their last appearance was in 2018. For players like Osimhen, who have not experienced the World Cup, this disappointment is even harder to take, especially with the talented players Nigeria has.

The squad includes world-class players like Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman. This shows a big gap between their talent on paper and the results on the pitch during qualification.

Many believe Nigeria's problems are more about poor management than a lack of skill. Three different coaches led the team at different times during the qualifying campaign. This situation is mostly blamed on the Nigeria Football Federation's inefficiency, which disrupted the team’s flow at a key time.

But there are signs of improvement under the current coach, Eric Chelle. He has given the team a clearer tactical direction and a new sense of purpose since he took over.

Even though some of Nigeria’s key players will be in their 30s by the time the next World Cup comes around, the experience this generation is gaining, along with Chelle’s growing influence, gives cautious hope that the Super Eagles can qualify for football’s biggest stage when the next round of qualification starts.