Nigeria's second-place finish in last Sunday's final against Ivory Coast in the final of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations was met with a mix of emotions across the country.
While many applauded the team for reaching the final, considering that few had given them a chance, some felt that the Eagles could have performed better and played with more freedom against the Elephants.
Regardless of the varied opinions following the defeat, it is crucial for the Super Eagles to build on the performance and lessons learned from the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations as they move forward.
Here are three key areas that need to be addressed or improved for the team to progress to the next level.
Super Eagles lack creativity in the middle
Going into the tournament, Jose Peseiro named only five recognisable midfielders – Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf, Joe Aribo, and Alex Iwobi – and while the defensive midfielders could be relied on for steel, the opposite was felt for the offensive/creative midfield role, which was reserved for Aribo and Iwobi.
Both hadn't exactly been in good form before the tournament, and when needed to step up during the AFCON, particularly Iwobi, went missing.
Iwobi himself had to clear the air at a press conference, revealing that instructions given to him by Peseiro weren't exactly what fans thought.
It was evident during the matches that though the midfield had some grit, the creative spark was gone.
There was a lack of end product from that department, so most of Nigeria's offensive dimensions came from the flanks either through the fullbacks or Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon from the wings.
One might be inclined to believe that the ultra-defensive pragmatic approach is appropriate for a physically demanding tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations. However, that era has passed, and it's time to explore new avenues.
That part has to be sorted as the World Cup qualifiers come to town soon.
There is a need for a few litres of creative juice to be fed to the middle of the pack, either as a fore or as a backup plan.
Peseiro's future with the Super Eagles
With Peseiro's apparent affinity for the Egyptian club Zamalek now public knowledge, the onus is on the NFF to either convince him to stay or secure a new coach as soon as possible.
Peseiro has done well to lead Nigeria into the final of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations despite a conservative approach, but the next step is whether he can find a formula to fully maximise the attacking potential of the team.
Alternatively, if he decides to depart, his successor will have to devise a way to ignite the Super Eagles' attack.
The team possesses fantastic forwards like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Taiwo Awoniyi, Terem Moffi, and others, but unlocking their full potential has proven challenging at the national team level.
Osimhen, for instance, was starved of service during the AFCON, and due to a lack of support, he often found himself dropping back into the midfield to retrieve the ball, expending unnecessary energy pressing defences.
Whoever sits in the dugout next needs to overhaul the team and find a delicate balance to maximize the talents available to the Super Eagles.
Infusion of fresh blood in Super Eagles squad
Several players in the team may have reached the end of their international careers following the Africa Cup of Nations.
Speculation is abound that senior players like Kenneth Omeruo and Ahmed Musa are contemplating retiring from the Super Eagles. With the World Cup qualifiers looming, this opens the door for new blood to rejuvenate the squad.
A new cycle is expected to begin, with fresh targets on the horison. The coming months and years will unearth new talents, as is customary with Nigeria's rich pool of players.
Players like Lyon's Gift Orban and Bayer Leverkusen's Nathan Tella can inject fresh energy into the squad, while Orlando Pirates defender Olisa Ndah brings experience from the 2022 edition in Cameroon.
Rumours also swirl about the NFF's attempts to attract diasporic talents to the team. Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise are reportedly on the radar, although it appears challenging to secure their allegiance at the moment.
After every tournament, a post-mortem is necessary to plan for the future.
Nigeria, with its vast talent pool, must advance and build on the second-placed finish at the 2024 AFCON. However, before that, there's the matter of the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Bafana Bafana in June.
