By Dayo Awoniyi
Former Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana has expressed confidence in Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite recent setbacks in the qualifying campaign.
Following a disappointing draw against Zimbabwe, concerns have grown over the team’s prospects. However, Olofinjana remains optimistic that the Super Eagles can still turn things around with the right approach.
“Qualifying for the World Cup is not impossible — anything can happen in football,” Olofinjana said in a recent interview. “The talent is there; it’s just a matter of how we manage it.”
He stressed the importance of unity, strategy, and commitment from all stakeholders — players, coaching staff, and football authorities.
“This is a collective responsibility. Everyone must be on the same page — from the technical crew to the players and the leadership of the NFF. That’s the only way we can get it right,” he added.
Olofinjana also highlighted the potential disappointment of seeing top players, such as Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, miss out on the World Cup due to poor qualification results.
“It would be a huge loss for Nigerian football if talents like Osimhen don’t get the chance to play on the biggest stage,” he said.
With four qualifying matches remaining, the Super Eagles must win all to maintain a realistic chance of securing a World Cup ticket.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
