National Teams
Asamoah Gyan Sympathises With Nigeria Over 2026 World Cup Absence
Ghana football legend Asamoah Gyan has expressed sympathy for Nigeria following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico were dashed after a heartbreaking defeat to the Democratic Republic of the Congo national football team in the African playoff final, despite taking an early lead through Frank Onyeka.
Reflecting on the long-standing sporting rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria, Gyan described the Super Eagles’ absence from the global showpiece as unfortunate.
Speaking on Soccer Africa, the former Black Stars captain reiterated the close relationship and healthy competition between the two West African football powers.
“When you talk about the two countries, Ivory Coast is very close to Ghana as well, but the difference is the language barrier. It is true Ghana and Nigeria have no border.
“Ivory Coast and Nigeria are our brothers, but when it comes to competitiveness, we are more like a rival with Nigeria. It is a healthy rivalry,” Gyan said.
The former striker, who remains Africa’s highest goalscorer in World Cup history with six goals, admitted he would have preferred to see Nigeria at the tournament.
“It’s rather unfortunate. Nigeria have got a good team. The healthy rivalry between the two countries is amazing,” he added.
The Super Eagles’ failure to qualify means Nigeria will miss consecutive FIFA World Cups for the first time since making their debut at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Meanwhile, Ghana will be among Africa’s representatives at the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup, while Nigeria will be left to focus on rebuilding ahead of future international competitions.
