As Nigeria prepares for two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, star striker Victor Osimhen has called on the Super Eagles to learn from past mistakes and revive their qualification hopes.
The Galatasaray forward, who missed Nigeria’s previous qualifiers due to injury, believes that under new head coach Eric Chelle, the team has the tactical discipline and quality to secure a spot at the global tournament.
The Super Eagles last qualified for the World Cup in 2018, but a painful playoff loss to Ghana on away goals denied them a place at Qatar 2022. This meant that top players like Osimhen and Ademola Lookman—both recent African Player of the Year winners—have yet to feature on football’s biggest stage.
Osimhen has been in fine form this season for Galatasaray.
Nigeria’s current qualification campaign has been disappointing, with the team failing to win any of their first four matches. They were held to 1-1 draws against Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, before a 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic put their World Cup hopes in jeopardy.
The team will begin preparations in Kigali on March 16, before facing Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium on March 21. They will then return to Uyo for a decisive encounter against Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on March 25.
Source: TheAthleticNG