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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has openly expressed frustration over the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying millions of Nigerians remain disappointed that the country is absent from football’s biggest stage despite the abundance of talent available to the national team.
Wike made the remarks in a video currently circulating on social media while speaking at an event where former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo was being recognised. After congratulating Yobo, the minister used the opportunity to send a direct message to the national team through the ex-international.
“Let me use this medium through you to tell the Super Eagles we are not happy. So if nobody tells you that, because I saw people clapping for you, the moment they say Super Eagles, i say i am not clapping, i won’t clap, because I watched the World Cup,” Wike said.
The FCT minister said Nigeria’s absence from the tournament has been difficult to accept, particularly after watching countries with little football history compete on the global stage.
“I watched countries that have never had before qualifying to play the World Cup. And I’m sitting down hours watching countries that are not known,” he stated.
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Wike questioned how Nigeria, a country blessed with players featuring regularly in top leagues around the world, failed to secure a place at the tournament.
“Nigerians, in that context, not less than 13 Nigerians play all over the world. But here, we did not qualify. Yobo, go and tell them,” he said.
His comments reflect the disappointment shared by many football supporters following the Super Eagles’ failure to reach the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup. The national team’s absence has remained a major talking point among fans and football stakeholders, especially as several nations with smaller football profiles have made appearances at the tournament.
Although Wike praised Yobo for his contributions to Nigerian football, his message underscored the frustration many Nigerians feel about the country’s continued struggles on the international stage despite possessing players who compete at some of the world’s biggest clubs.
The remarks are likely to add to the pressure on Nigerian football authorities and the Super Eagles as calls grow for reforms aimed at restoring the country’s competitiveness and ensuring qualification for future major tournaments.
