2026 World Cup qualification: Abi di mountain don dey too high for Super Eagles?

As di next round of qualification matches for di 2026 Federation of International Football Associations, FIFA World Cup go start for March, 2025, Naija dey wonder if di Super Eagles fit pick di sole ticket of Group C as dem dey precariously for di fifth spot, surprisingly behind Rwanda, South Africa, Benin Republic and Lesotho in dat order.

To emerge top of di group, di Super Eagles, wey presently no get substantive coach, go need to win di remaining six matches left for di series to amass 18 points in addition to di three wey dem already get to finish with 23 points.

Before 1994, Naija senior national team, either as di Red Devils, Green Eagles or Super Eagles don always lose for dia quest to take qualify for di greatest single sports event for di world, football’s World Cup with di nearest being for 1977 wen dem need home win against Tunisia to qualify but no thanks to one own goal through Godwin Odiye’s back header.

From 1960 wen di country gain her flag independence from Britain, di national team first participate for di CAF World Cup qualifiers for di 1962 edition for Chile with only six teams participating, Egypt, Sudan, Naija, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia.

However, only four of dem compete for partial slot as Egypt, then known as di United Arab Republic and Sudan withdraw.

Morocco pair with Tunisia while Naija and Ghana battle each other for two-legged affair.

Morocco and Tunisia win dia respective home games 2-1 but for di playoffs for Palermo, Italy, both teams settle for 1-1 draw afta extra time but rather than penalty shootout, dem decide by toss of coin and Morocco triumph.

Ghana defeat Naija 4-1 for di first leg for Accra and di return leg for Lagos end 2-2 and so Ghana go ahead to play Morocco but lose out to di North Africans.

Africa no fit get slot as Morocco lose di inter-confederation playoffs to Spain.

For di 1966 qualifiers, Naija dey among di 15 African countries wey enter for di competition.

However, dem no kick ball as all of dem withdraw in protest afta FIFA decline to allocate direct qualifying place for African team.

Like for di 1962 qualifiers wen dem get to go through playoff route with team from UEFA, dem ask to play team for Asia-Oceania.

For 1969 during di 1970 World Cup qualifiers, afta dumping Ghana, Morocco become di barrier as dem pick di lone ticket and qualify ahead of Naija as CAF no go through di playoffs route again.

For di 1974 edition, Ghana stop Naija again afta0-2 for Lagos and 0-0 for Accra.

Na own goal by Godwin Odiye for di National Stadium for Lagos deny Naija di ticket to di 1978 World Cup.

By 1982, FIFA don award Africa two slots but Naija no still qualify, di same with 1986 and 1990.

Di crop of Super Eagles wey win di AFCON for Tunisia for 1994 also make history by qualifying di country for her first World Cup wey dem hold for di United States dat same year without much stress.

Since dat first appearance, di Super Eagles don miss only two editions, 2006 edition for Germany wey dem lose to Angola through head-to-head rule and di last one for Qatar wey dem also lose, again on home soil to perennial rivals Ghana on aggregate afta0-0 for Accra and 1-1 for Abuja.

Since 1994, dis na di first time wey di Super Eagles don box themselves into precarious corner, making Naija dey ask if dem fit pick di chestnut out of di fire dem don put themselves by dia lackadaisical approach to matches.

Unlike di fabled monkey wey dey seek di help of di cat with its paws to pick di chestnut out of di fiery fire.

Di Super Eagles no go get outside help but need dia determination and dexterity to do di unthinkable, win all six remaining matches.

Without which dem go just kiss di 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by di United States, Canada and Mexico goodbye.

Di task before whoever dem appoint to lead di team for dis journey na onerous one.

Whether na Austin Eguavoen, on interim or substantive basis, or foreign coach, di chances dey very slim if di performances of di current set of Super Eagles na anything to go by.

For di last 12 months, di team no win six straight matches, so how dem go do am now with so much anxiety?

From January to November dis year, dem don play 18 games, three being friendly matches, and dem win only nine.

One of di wins na quarter-finals penalty shootout against South Africa for di AFCON for Abidjan and di other na 2025 AFCON qualifier wey dem award to dem against Libya.

So you fit safely talk say dem win only seven games for regulation time, which give dem 39 percent chance of repeating same for di six remaining World Cup matches starting March 17, 2025 with di Kigali tie against di same Rwanda wey snatch rare victory against dem for di Godswill Akpabio Stadium for Uyo last month.

Afta di match for Kigali, dem go play two consecutive home matches against Zimbabwe on March 24 and Rwanda on September 25.

For di same September, dem go travel to Johannesburg to meet di Bafana Bafana wey dia coach, Hugo Broos dey almost swear say e go be over him dead body say Naija go qualify ahead of South Africa.

Dia last home game on October 13, go be against Gernot Rohr’s Cheetahs wey inflict di first loss on dem for di qualifiers for Abidjan.

If di Super Eagles lose any of di five matches before di last game away to Lesotho, di NFF suppose just save di country di scarce foreign exchange in inviting Europe-based players by sending di leading club for di NPFL or di CHAN Eagles to play di game wey go be mere formality.

If however, di Super Eagles fit pull di chestnut out of di proverbial fire and qualify, e go be step higher than di eight wonder of di world wey former vice president of FIFA Jack Warner describe di readiness of di Lagos National Stadium for di FIFA U-20 World Cup for 1999 under few months.

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