Former Nigeria striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has criticised Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle after the Franco-Malian tactician accused DR Congo of using “voodoo” to defeat his team in a recent 2026 World Cup qualifier.
Nigeria were beaten on penalties, but Chelle sparked controversy after the match when he suggested supernatural practices influenced the result.
The comments drew swift condemnation from Yakubu, who described the remarks as embarrassing and disrespectful to both the opponents and the nation.
“If it was down to voodoo, I think an African country would have won the World Cup a long time ago,” Yakubu told sportscasting.com. “He [Chelle] should have just congratulated DR Congo and said well done for winning, rather than bringing shame to Nigeria.
“He is a shame to Nigeria — a coach coming out and saying it’s because of voodoo. We lost on penalties. He even tried to fight someone and they had to pull him back. It is not a good look for him or for Nigeria.”
The former Everton and Portsmouth forward added that the Super Eagles’ penalty performance, not mysticism, cost them the match.
“Our penalties were quite poor. The pressure was too much for the players to deal with.”
Chelle’s comments have sparked debate among fans and analysts, with many urging the coach to take responsibility rather than resort to unfounded claims. The defeat leaves Nigeria facing increased pressure in their qualification campaign.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
