By Wale Mustapha
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has emphasized that the Super Eagles must come together as a united team and give their best to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Despite a difficult start to the qualifiers, with Nigeria earning only three points from their last four games, Osimhen believes the team can still turn things around.
The upcoming matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe present a crucial opportunity for Nigeria to get back on track.
Osimhen made it clear that qualifying for the World Cup is a collective effort.
“It takes more than a coach to win football matches. Players must also be at their best, show commitment, and bear in mind that we can all fly together to reach our goal,” he said in an interview with BBC Sports Africa.
Osimhen, who has been included in Eric Chelle’s 23-man squad for the upcoming fixtures, expressed his excitement to work with the new coach.
“I’ve spoken to him a couple of times and clearly understand the objectives he has set for himself and for the players,” the striker added.
The Super Eagles will face Rwanda on March 21st in Kigali, followed by a home match against Zimbabwe on March 25th in Uyo.
With both games being crucial to their World Cup hopes, Osimhen and his teammates are ready to take responsibility and fight for a spot at the global tournament.
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.
