National Teams
Tinubu commends Super Eagles despite World Cup exit, urges focus on 2025 AFCON
By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
President Bola Tinubu has commended the Super Eagles for their commitment throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, despite the team’s painful elimination in Sunday’s playoff clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tinubu praised the players’ effort and urged them not to be discouraged by the outcome, calling for renewed focus on the Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for January–February 2026 in Morocco.
The President said the continental championship offers another platform for the team to demonstrate its strength and reclaim its status in African football.
Nigeria’s hopes of returning to the World Cup were dashed after a tense 1–1 draw in Rabat led to a penalty shootout, where DR Congo edged the Super Eagles 4–3 to advance to the inter-confederation playoff.
While expressing his disappointment that Nigeria will miss consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time since making its debut in 1994, Tinubu highlighted the resilience the team displayed during the qualifiers.
“Notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them,” he said.
“We must now plug all the loopholes. Our football administrators, players, and indeed all stakeholders must go back to the drawing board. Now is the time to focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations. Our Super Eagles must recover the lost glory.”
Tinubu also lauded the squad’s strong outing in the first leg of the playoff, noting that their determination remained evident until the final whistle.
