Osimhen Wants to Revive Nigeria’s World Cup Dream
Osimhen stated that the Nigerian national team would fight desperately to avoid missing out on the FIFA 2026 World Cup finals for the second time in a row.
The star striker, currently playing for Galatasaray, has a rather pessimistic view due to the Super Eagles’ poor start in Group C, where they have managed only three draws in four matches. Osimhen was unavailable for these games due to injury.
Three years ago, Nigeria also suffered a major setback when they were eliminated by their arch-rivals Ghana in the play-offs.
Super Eagles are Concerned About Experiencing the Disappointment of 2022 Again.
Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, the forward said:
“It’s a dream of every footballer to play at the World Cup, and with our situation in the group, I am desperate, like other players, to make it to the 2026 tournament.”
“We suffered a big disappointment in 2022, and we simply can’t let it happen again to us, the country, and our generation.”
“You don’t want to finish your career with the regrets of not playing at the World Cup. That is not what I want for myself.”
One positive aspect for Nigeria is that even the group leader, Rwanda, has only seven points. The Super Eagles will face Rwanda on March 21, and if they win, they can reduce the point gap to just one.
New Coach Eric Chelle and Rising Expectations
Expectations are high for new head coach Eric Chelle. The 47-year-old Malian has made history as the first non-Nigerian African to manage the Super Eagles.
Osimhen expressed his belief in the new coach by stating:
“There’s a new manager now, and we are desperately looking forward to the game against Rwanda to try to correct all the previous mistakes we’ve made and put ourselves in a better position to qualify.”
Osimhen has played 39 matches for Nigeria, scoring 23 goals and providing 11 assists.
Nigeria’s Talented Squad
The squad also includes notable players such as:
- Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
- Moses Simon (Nantes)
- Ola Aina (Premier League)
- Calvin Bassey (Premier League)
- Alex Iwobi (Premier League)
Osimhen further added:
“People say we have a talented generation, but we can only confirm this talent when we play in a World Cup like those before us.”
“I was sad, like my teammates, to miss out on Qatar, and our fans didn’t even understand how much it affected us.”
“This is why we must correct the previous mistakes by giving everything to our country, our new coach, and prove ourselves as being worthy.”
Challenges of African Football
Looking ahead, Osimhen acknowledged the challenges of African football:
“It’s not going to be easy because African football is unpredictable. We all saw how some big teams went out early in Ivory Coast.”
“We must take each game as it comes and remember that we are yet to win anything for Nigeria. That should be the motivation we need to go one step better.”
“But we cannot focus too much on a tournament that will happen at the end of the year when we have big demands of the World Cup before that. We first take care of that business.”
World Cup Qualification Process
The road to qualification will not be easy:
- Only the group winners will secure a direct spot at the World Cup.
- Second-placed teams will have to compete in continental play-offs for a chance to progress further.
Osimhen remains focused on the challenge ahead:
“Names no longer win matches, and you must be ready and switched on for the duration of the games.”
“We will be playing for our country, our family names, and the hopes of almost 300 million people. It is not the pressure that we face but the desire to not let ourselves and the country down.”
“Playing at the World Cup is a priority, and we must make it happen this time around.”