Former Super Eagles striker Osaze Odemwingie has come down hard on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) after the body publicly blamed two players for Nigeria’s stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Super Eagles had gone into September’s fixtures knowing nothing short of six points would keep their qualification hopes alive. They edged Rwanda 1-0 in Uyo but failed to secure maximum points in South Africa, where they were held to a 1-1 draw in Bloemfontein.
In its post-match review, the NFF singled out captain William Troost-Ekong and forward Cyriel Dessers for criticism. That decision, however, did not sit well with Odemwingie, who labelled it a sign of poor leadership.
“It is a sign that wrong people are working in our federation, it’s very unprofessional,” the former West Brom and Lokomotiv Moscow forward said in an interview with Brila FM.
He argued that the people handling such responsibilities lack the expertise required for their roles. “These are people who work in certain positions without the required qualifications. They are just like fans, you can give that job to ordinary fans, and he will probably do a job as good as that person has done.”
Odemwingie, who represented Nigeria at two World Cups and was part of the squad that won Olympic silver in 2008, stressed that publicly scapegoating players after a draw does more harm than good. According to him, football is a team sport, and accountability should not be reduced to blaming individuals.
With two more crucial fixtures ahead, the Super Eagles face mounting pressure to rediscover their rhythm if they are to secure a ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The post Odemwingie Blasts NFF For Blaming Two Super Eagles Players Over World Cup Qualifiers Setback appeared first on Naija News.
