Former Super Eagles and Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has expressed disappointment following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Footynaija.com reports.
The three-time African champions will be absent from this year’s tournament, set to be hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
More concerning, however, is that Nigeria will miss out on a second consecutive World Cup, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar.
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Yakubu, who represented Nigeria at the 2010 tournament, admitted the latest setback is a difficult one to take. The former forward believes the current crop of Super Eagles stars may have squandered their only real opportunity to fly the nation’s colours at a World Cup.
What Yakubu Aiyegbeni said
“Of course, I’m disappointed. It’s two in a row now, we didn’t go to Qatar, and now we’re missing the one in America. It’s massive,” he said on the Clutch 9 Football podcast.
“You’ve seen some of these boys from the Premier League who will not be at the World Cup.
“In the next four years, there’ll be a pool of younger talents coming up. I was lucky to play in 2010, I know what it means to represent your country at the World Cup. It’s special.
“For these boys, they probably think it’s okay, but some of them might never play at the World Cup.
“A few years ago I was playing, now, I’m retired, it’s all so quick. They will regret it. Like Victor Osimhen who’s scoring so much in Galatasaray and won’t be at the World Cup.
“He’s 27, he won’t be the same player in the next three years. A younger striker will come up. He might never get that chance again.”
Yakubu spent ten years within the Super Eagles setup, making his debut in 2000 and retiring in 2010. He made 58 appearances for the African giants and bagged 21 goals.
