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By Seyi Babalola
Frank Onyeka, a Super Eagles midfielder, has stated that the players are devastated by the missed opportunity to compete in the next FIFA World Cup.
This came after the team’s defeat to DR Congo in the World Cup playoff final on Sunday, and the Brentford midfielder acknowledged the players are ‘hurting’ just as much as the supporters.
Osasu Obayiuwana, a British-Nigerian journalist, met with the midfielder at Casablanca Airport to discuss his response to the defeat on X.
“We, the players, are hurting, just as much as Nigerians are hurting. Nigerians have every right to be very upset with us,” Onyeka said.
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“It is very tough not to go to the next FIFA World Cup. Some of us may not be around in five years, in 2030.
“It’s painful. But we have an AFCON to play in 34 days and we need to get ready for that and do better than we did last time.”
It ended 1-1 in regulation time and Nigeria played a second 120 minutes in three days before the game was decided by shootout.
Nigeria, who had some of their best penalty takers on the bench, including first-choice taker, William Troost-Ekong, missed three kicks.
DR Congo, who showed more seriousness to win the game, even substituting their first-choice goalkeeper, converted four to claim a 4-3 shootout victory.
