World Cup: What Morocco’s 6-goal thriller vs Haiti means for Super Eagles’ 28-year record

The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is drawing to a close, and it has been a true rollercoaster, Afrik-Foot reports.

​As the first tournament to feature 48 teams, many records were expected to fall. Lionel Messi, currently boasting five goals in this tournament, has surpassed Miroslav Klose to become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace against Uzbekistan made him the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments.

​Unfortunately, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are absent from this year’s Mundial after failing to emerge from a qualifying group that included Lesotho, Rwanda, Benin, and South Africa. Even after being granted a lifeline through the playoffs, they failed to capitalize on the opportunity.

​African Nations Shine at the World Cup

​On a brighter note, most African teams in the tournament have performed admirably. Morocco, South Africa, Ghana, and Egypt have already secured their spots in the knockout rounds. Cape Verde, having held both Spain and Uruguay to draws, remains on course to advance.

Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Senegal, and Algeria are also well-positioned to reach the round of 32, provided they win their final group games.

​Morocco, the reigning African champions, sealed their spot in the round of 32 on Wednesday night after a thrilling 4-2 victory over Haiti. The score was level at 2-2 by halftime, but the Atlas Lions dominated the second half, securing the win courtesy of goals from Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine.

​This victory marks the first time the Atlas Lions have qualified for the knockout stages in two consecutive World Cups.

They join an exclusive club as only the third African nation to achieve this feat, following Nigeria (1994 and 1998) and Ghana (2006 and 2010). This accomplishment highlights the significant growth of Moroccan football over the years as they look to make a deep run in this tournament.

3 – 🇲🇦 Morocco are the third African nation to reach the FIFA World Cup knockout stages in consecutive tournaments, after 🇳🇬 Nigeria (1994 and 1998) and 🇬🇭 Ghana (2006 and 2010).

Lions. pic.twitter.com/CJ4KB3X6Bo

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 25, 2026

​Can the Super Eagles Return to the Pinnacle of African Football?

​The 1990s was a period when the Super Eagles consistently qualified for the World Cup knockout stages, and that represented the pinnacle of Nigerian football. During that period, they dominated the African continent and climbed as high as 4th in the FIFA world rankings.

​However, in the past decade, the team has struggled to meet expectations, evidenced by their failure to qualify for back-to-back Mundials.

Nonetheless, under the tutelage of coach Eric Chelle, there are signs of significant improvement, which means there can be a resurgence.

The Franco-Malian has a good chunk of quality players on his team, which makes it easier for him to imprint his playing style. Now, when Nigeria play, you can see a clear structure and pattern of play.

If Chelle continues to improve the team at the current rate, they could qualify for the next World Cup in 2030.