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Yakubu Aiyegbeni Slams Chelle’s ‘Voodoo’ Claim After Nigeria’s World Cup Qualifier Loss to DR Congo
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.
