Super Eagles: The amusing contradiction in Yakubu’s nostalgia-fuelled criticism

Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has questioned the creative balance and attacking identity of Nigeria’s current crop, remarks that prompt a closer look at the facts surrounding the team’s midfield and goalscoring output ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025).

On the Bet9ja HomeTurf podcast, Yakubu criticised the present squad’s midfield construction, insisting that Nigeria lacks a playmaker capable of dictating games: “We need a proper midfielder who can pass the ball because we have too many defensive midfielders. We have Ndidi and Onyeka, they can only pass the ball sideways.”

Yakubu went further, contrasting the current setup with an earlier era that boasted dynamic ball-progressors. “I don’t want to go back to our days. We had Oliseh who can pass the ball, switch the play. We need a creative midfielder who can pass the ball very well… We don’t dominate games,” he said, encapsulating his perception that Nigeria’s engine room lacks the kind of incisive distribution that wins tournaments.

On the attacking front, Yakubu also suggested the Super Eagles are without a forward in his mould , a bruising, instinctive number nine who can take over games. The statement invites scrutiny, especially given the statistical reality of Victor Osimhen’s performances for Nigeria in recent years.

Reconciling Yakubu’s claims with Super Eagles reality

Yakubu’s point about a dearth of creation from midfield is easy to quantify in broad strokes, but the underlying numbers paint a more nuanced picture.

Osimhen, whom Yakubu implies does not occupy the same striker tier as himself, has registered 31 goals in 46 appearances for the Super Eagles,a return that eclipses Yakubu’s own tally despite coming in 11 fewer matches. That level of output suggests Nigeria’s frontline is hardly bereft of cutting edge.

If the midfield were truly as sterile as Yakubu asserts, producing only sideways passes and little penetration, Osimhen’s strike rate becomes even more remarkable, evidence that service to him has been better than credited. His ability to score consistently, even without a designated “Oliseh-style” creator, argues that the team’s attacking mechanics retain potency.

Alternatively, if one accepts that Osimhen does not mirror Yakubu’s old playing style, then it logically follows that Nigeria’s midfield must be doing enough creatively to enable another type of number nine to flourish. The ball-winning midfielders Yakubu cites – Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka – sit alongside more progressive contributors like Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman, all capable of driving attacks rather than merely recycling possession.

Yakubu’s critique, while rooted in nostalgia, ultimately highlights a paradox: Nigeria may not have the textbook playmaker of years past, but the Super Eagles have crafted attacking cohesion that produces goals at the highest level.