Nigeria must play football innovatively, says Nduka Ugbade

With upsets observed at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Golden Eaglets coach, Nduka Ugbade says Nigeria’s national team must play innovatively to excel at the global stage.

The former Nigeria international believes that football has changed from what it was in time immemorial and Nigeria should be ready to adapt to the changing dynamics.

“We must play innovatively. The games at the World Cup are quite different from the way we used to see them in the past,” Ugbade told Brila FM.

Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina 2-1 in the group stage of this year’s World Cup as Japan also defeated former World Champions, Germany and Spain in the group stage before losing on penalties to Croatia in the Round of 16, while Cameroon also stunned five-time World Champions, Brazil 1-0 before exiting the group stage.

And Ugbade insists that talents can no longer take Nigeria to lofty heights on the world stage.

“If Saudi Arabia can beat Argentina, Cameroon can beat Brazil at the very last minute, and Japan go to defeat Germany. You know what that means,” the former Super Eagles star continued.

“We must know that the game has gone beyond talent. The talent must now be developed to become more profitable for usage.”