Victor Osimhen says Nigeria will be driven by desperation in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this month as they look to avoid missing out on a second successive World Cup finals, reports BBC.
Jose Peseiro oversaw two draws, against minnows Lesotho and Zimbabwe, and his successor Finidi George departed last June after a defeat by Benin followed a home stalemate against South Africa.
“There’s a new manager now and we are desperately looking forward to the game against Rwanda to try to correct all the previous mistakes we’ve made and put ourselves in a better position to qualify,” Osimhen said.
Osimhen, the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, who has scored 23 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 senior outings for Nigeria, was “extremely disappointed” after failing to make Qatar 2022.
He insists a squad packed full of top players including Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, Nantes winger, Moses Simon, and Premier League regulars Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi must secure a place for next year’s global showpiece in Canada, Mexico, and the USA.Nigeria have only missed two editions of the tournament since making their debut in 1994.
“People say we have a talented generation but we can only confirm this talent when we play in a World Cup like those before us,” Osimhen confided.
“I was sad, like my team-mates, to miss out on Qatar and our fans didn’t even understand how much it affected us. This is why we must correct the previous mistakes by giving everything to our country, our new coach, and prove ourselves as being worthy.”
Chelle’s appointment in January prompted a mixed reaction after the 47-year-old Malian made history by becoming the first non-Nigerian African to assume the role of Super Eagles boss.
Os
guardian.ng
