Related Post
Alex Iwobi says it would be a huge disappointment if Nigeria fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite boasting some of Africa’s finest football talents, including Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Footynaija.com reports.
The Fulham midfielder, who featured for the Super Eagles at the 2018 World Cup, believes the current squad has everything it takes to compete with the best.
Osimhen #UEL | @Galatasaray pic.twitter.com/pjU2mDkTai
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) October 31, 2025
“We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world,” Iwobi told CNN.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen). It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s road to the World Cup has been turbulent. The team managed just three points from their first four qualifying games before Éric Chelle took over to inspire a dramatic turnaround. Four wins and two draws later, the Super Eagles climbed from fifth to second to secure a playoff spot.
Victor Osimhen x Samuel Chukwueze
— SportsDokitor (Odogwu) (@sportsdokitor) October 15, 2025
This is a partnership that’s been there for over 10 years and you can clearly see the growth.
Under-17. National Team. pic.twitter.com/X9zWixqzdy
Nigeria will now face Gabon on November 13 in Morocco, while Cameroon meet DR Congo the same day. Winners from both matches will clash for a single place in next year’s intercontinental playoffs.
Iwobi insists the Super Eagles have “rescued themselves from the dead” and believes missing out again, after failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, would be a bitter blow for a team brimming with world-class quality.
