Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has acknowledged that it would be unfortunate if the Super Eagles, despite their collection of top European-based talents, fail to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, especially after missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Nigeria boasts a formidable squad that includes both the past and current African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen, and Ademola Lookman. However, the team has faced challenges in terms of scoring and maintaining consistency throughout the qualifying campaign.
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Eric Chelle’s team ultimately clinched one of the playoff positions as one of the best second-placed teams, thanks to a last-minute goal from Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka, which was crucial. Iwobi, a consistent presence for the three-time African champions, participated in all ten of their qualifying matches.
As they prepare for this month’s vital playoff match against Gabon’s Panthers, the former Arsenal midfielder conveyed his strong confidence in Nigeria’s prospects, asserting that the Super Eagles have the quality and mindset to compete with any nation globally.
In an interview with CNN, Iwobi stated: “We have managed to pull ourselves back from the brink.
”We are aware that we possess the players and the skills to compete against any country in the world.”We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman) and the previous year’s winner (Victor Osimhen).
“It would be regrettable if we do not qualify, but we are filled with confidence. We simply need to demonstrate it to ourselves.”
Iwobi, who represented Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, started in the opening match against Croatia and came off the bench in the following games against Iceland and Argentina.
