Super Eagles: Alex Iwobi laments ‘shame’ of World Cup without African royalty

Alex Iwobi has said it would be “a shame” if the Super Eagles, a team comprising some of Africa’s brightest footballers, failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Fulham midfielder, who has been a mainstay in the national side, believes the team’s quality should guarantee their place on football’s biggest stage.  

Nigeria missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar, an absence that still stings deeply among supporters and players alike. This time, they have once again been made to fight for survival, forced into the playoff rounds despite boasting some of the continent’s top talents, including Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, the two most recent winners of the CAF Player of the Year award.  

A late goal from Brentford’s Frank Onyeka against Benin in October ensured the three-time AFCON winners  advanced as one of the best runners-up in the qualifying series later this month.

Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles seek renewal and validation  

In an interview with CNN, Iwobi said the current squad had shown resilience in clawing their way back into contention. “We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” he said. “We know we have the players and the ability to compete against any country in the world.

“We’ve got last year’s African best player, Ademola Lookman, and the year before that, Victor Osimhen. It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”  

The 29-year-old midfielder, who represented Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, understands the weight of expectation. He started the Super Eagles’ opening match against Croatia at that tournament and made substitute appearances against Iceland and Argentina, as Nigeria narrowly missed out on the knockout stages.  

Head coach Éric Chelle’s side will face Gabon’s Panthers in the first leg of their playoff tie on Thursday, 13 November, at the Al Barid Stadium in Rabat. Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), with the winner expected to face face either DR Congo or Cameroon in the final that determines who picks Africa’s ticket to the continental playoffs.