Former Olympic gold medalist Abiodun Obafemi has raised alarm over the Super Eagles' lack of consistency and their selective approach to recent matches.
The Super Eagles have endured a challenging start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, remaining winless after four matches—drawing three and losing one. They currently sit fifth in the Group C standings, which includes Rwanda, South Africa, Benin, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe.
However, under the guidance of Austin Eguavoen, the team secured qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, topping their group with three wins and two draws, with their only defeat coming at home to Rwanda.
Obafemi, who has closely followed the team's progress, believes the current squad is failing to live up to expectations, especially given their stellar club performances.
Obafemi expresses concern over Super Eagles' underperformance
In a recent interview with Brila, Obafemi voiced his concerns over the Super Eagles' recent performances. He stressed that the team’s lack of consistency and selective approach to matches is alarming.
‘The fear factor is no longer there now, there is no team coming to Nigeria now that will not believe they have a chance of beating us and that is a minus for us,” he said.
“We expected so much from these guys based on their performances with their clubs, but when they come to Nigeria, they do what they cannot in their teams. It’s a very big concern.
“They must be competitive. I don’t understand why they are selecting games.”
Obafemi, a former defender who spent the majority of his career in Germany, was a key member of Nigeria's gold medal-winning team at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
