‘It will be difficult for Eagles to qualify for 2026 World Cup’

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, David Aigbovo, says it will require a ‘great miracle’ for the Super Eagles to book their passage to the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.

The Super Eagles currently sit in fifth position in Group C, with only three points from four matches and trailing Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin, each with seven points. Nigeria will resume their World Cup qualifying campaign on March 17 with a clash against table-topper Rwanda in Kigali before hosting Zimbabwe.

Aigbovo, who led IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan to win the maiden CAF Cup title in 1991, is of the opinion that the Super Eagles burgled their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup long ago.

“No serious country wishing to make the party to the 2026 World Cup will pick three draws in three matches,” Aigbovo told The Guardian yesterday. “For me, what the NFF is doing now by appointing a Malian coach for the Super Eagles is medicine after death. The Eagles have messed up the chances since last year, and we should accept it.”

According to the former Bendel Insurance FC goalkeeper, it will take a miracle for the newly appointed ex-Malian player, Eric Sekou Chelle, to deliver the World Cup ticket.

“In the first place, I don’t know the rationale behind NFF’s decision to settle for a Malian for the Super Eagles job. I know that the former Interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, won’t be able to measure up. A lot of people actually wanted Eguavoen to be removed and I saw that coming long ago. But to bring in a Malian to coach the Super Eagles is what I don’t understand. I just hope it is not going to be a waste of time and resources because I don’t see him getting the World Cup ticket for Nigeria,” he said.

Aigbovo, who spoke