With the 2026 World Cup underway across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and ten African nations taking part in the highest continental representation in tournament history, Nigeria’s absence from the party has left a bitter taste for many who were part of the country’s football journey, Footynaija.com reports.
The Super Eagles were drawn in a qualifying group alongside South Africa, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and the Republic of Benin. Despite boasting one of the strongest squads on the continent, they failed to secure qualification, and stars including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi are watching the tournament from home.
Chikelue Iloenyosi, a former Nigeria defender who had stints at Al-Ittihad and Fenerbahce during his playing days, has not softened his verdict.
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Speaking on the AySuga Channel, he placed responsibility on the players rather than the coach or the federation, arguing the evidence was in the players’ own reactions to the failure.
“Why we did not qualify for the World Cup is the players. It’s the fault of the players because you can see the games, they are even blaming themselves. They are not happy,” Iloenyosi stated.
He acknowledged the personal pain running through the squad, making clear this was not a case of players who did not care.
“How can I be happy? Players are feeling very, very bad, of course. If they have a chance to be in the World Cup, they will be in the World Cup to prove themselves,” he said.
The age factor adds finality to the hurt.
“Some people in the national team might not see the World Cup again because of their age,” he warned, a pointed reminder of what the failure could mean beyond 2026.
Despite the criticism, Iloenyosi was careful to separate the players from Chelle’s contribution.
“I’m not happy we did not qualify. We’ve gotten a coach that came to stabilise the team. If you see the standard of the games we are playing now, you can know the coach wants the team to improve,” he added.
