Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has addressed the error he made during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) clash against Tunisia, one that ultimately led to the Super Eagles' elimination.
Two minutes into the second half, Youssef Msakni unleashed a swerving shot from outside the box that Okoye, many felt, should have comfortably saved. The resulting goal proved decisive, sending Nigeria crashing out of the tournament.
The error drew heavy criticism, with the Udinese man subsequently dropped from the starting line-up. While named as a substitute on five occasions since, he hasn't featured in a competitive match for the national team.
Maduka Okoye expresses regret
Speaking to OmaSports TV, the Germany-born shot-stopper expressed his regret over the AFCON incident.
“Looking back on that moment, I definitely know I could've done better,” Okoye admitted. “It's something that pains me till today. This is actually the first time I've truly spoken about it.
“You can call it a mistake because, ultimately, I had to keep the ball out of the net.
“These things happen in football. Just look at a player like Manuel Neuer, arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the world, even he makes mistakes. It's part of the game.”
Reaction to post-AFCON criticism
In the aftermath of that AFCON elimination, Maduka Okoye came in for severe online criticism, prompting him to disable comments on his Instagram account among other measures.
However, the 24-year-old revealed that, contrary to popular belief, the backlash itself did not faze him as much.
“As a young player, going through what happened was tough,” he said. “It wasn't necessarily the social media noise that bothered me the most.
“It was more about letting down my teammates, my family, and my country. I don't really pay attention to what people write on social media.”
“Even someone like Cristiano Ronaldo still faces criticism. There will always be negativity. I know I didn't perform well in that situation, and I understand that I let my country and teammates down. It saddens me even today, and I wish things could have been different.”
Despite the setback, Okoye believes the experience has helped him grow. “It happened, and I've learned from my mistakes. “The most important thing is that I was able to move on, and I believe I'm in a better place now than I was back then.”
