2013 Africa Cup of Nations match-winner, Sunday Mba, has urged the Super Eagles to carry forward the same spirit that inspired their emphatic win over Benin into the upcoming World Cup playoff against Gabon, Footynaija.com reports.
The former Enugu Rangers midfielder, remembered for his iconic volley that sealed Nigeria’s 2013 AFCON triumph in Johannesburg, believes the mindset from the Uyo performance can determine whether the team makes it to the 2026 World Cup.
Nigeria are set to face Gabon in Rabat on 13 November 2025 after finishing second in Group C of the qualifiers behind South Africa. The playoff represents the beginning of the final hurdles for Eric Chelle’s side, and with some players ruled out through injury, the message from one of Nigeria’s most memorable midfielders carries extra weight.
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“Let us bring that same spirit from the last game against Benin,” Mba told AY Shuga on YouTube.
“If we have that same spirit, we will qualify. But if anything should happen to that spirit, it is shaky. That is the perfect spirit we need now because we are in a tight corner,” he added.
Mba, who earned 21 caps for Nigeria, was one of Stephen Keshi’s trusted domestic-based players at the 2013 tournament, scoring in both the quarter-final against Ivory Coast and the final against Burkina Faso.
His words come as the Super Eagles attempt to rediscover that same fighting identity that once defined them on the continental stage.
The current squad took a major step forward last month by thrashing Benin Republic 4–0 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. Victor Osimhen scored a hat-trick in 51 minutes before Frank Onyeka added a late fourth to seal the win, securing Nigeria’s passage into the playoff round.
Nigeria’s path to the 2026 World Cup remains demanding. They will camp in Rabat from 9 November ahead of the playoff clash with Gabon, who are no strangers to physical contests.
