‘This minister is an ingrate’ – Ex-Nigeria FA boss fires back at McKenzie for wishing Super Eagles doom

Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has hit back at Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie over his sentiments that he wants the Super Eagles to miss the World Cup.

McKenzie said early this month that he wants Nigeria, who are among the four African nations set to play the World Cup qualification playoffs, to miss out and another country qualify because he feels they were behind the three-point deduction imposed on Bafana Bafana by FIFA.

South Africa nearly missed the 2026 World Cup after FIFA docked them points but they received a huge favour from Nigeria, who thrashed Benin 4-0, while Hugo Broos’ men beat Rwanda 3-0, to seal the direct ticket to next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

What did Sports Minister say about Nigeria?

This was after the fielding of midfielder Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho in their qualifier in March when he was supposed to be suspended for the game and when it had looked like FIFA had sidestepped the matter, they struck in September to leave South Africa in a spot of bother.

“I wish them [Nigeria] not to qualify. I knew what they did behind the scenes for us not to get there [World Cup],” McKenzie said on Marawa Sports Worldwide. “I want them to lose. They must not go to the World Cup and another African country must go.”

Those words have not gone down well with Pinnick, who has termed McKenzie an “embarrassment” to South Africa and someone who does not understand how football works.

“If it is the wish of God that Nigeria should qualify for the World Cup, the South African sports minister’s careless statement cannot stop it from happening,” Pinnick told Nigerian outlet THISDAY.

McKenzie told to emulate Motsepe & Jordaan

 “It is unfortunate to have someone like McKenzie appointed a minister in a developed, civilized country like South Africa. I know several people in South Africa who are knowledgeable in football matters who will not speak with such hatred like McKenzie.”

Pinnick went ahead to compare McKenzie to SAFA boss Danny Jordaan and CAF president Patrice Motsepe as top football men from South Africa who the Sports Minister is making look bad.

“For instance, SAFA President, Dr Danny Jordaan, is a respected football voice worldwide who will not go that route of hate,” he added.

“Dr Jordaan can never speak such a careless statement about wishing Nigeria bad. The CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe who is my Boss is another fine gentleman, deeply rooted in continental and global football matters.

Should South Africa be thanking Super Eagles?

“These two gentlemen and several others know the consequences of fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier. The South African sports minister should just shut up instead of embarrassing the country with his careless, unfounded statements against Nigeria.”

Pinnick, who now serves as Deputy Chairperson of FIFA’s Men’s National Teams Competitions Committee, says McKenzie is being overly ungrateful when he should be thanking Nigeria for saving South Africa the blushes after their own blunder nearly cost them a World Cup ticket.

“I will rather say that this minister is an ingrate for not thanking the Super Eagles for defeating Benin Republic in Uyo,” added Pinnick.

“He didn’t realize that if Benin had won or drawn the match in Uyo, South Africa will not be the beneficiary of the Group C direct qualification ticket for the World Cup.”