- Tinubu encouraged the Super Eagles to bounce back from World Cup disappointment and focus on AFCON 2025.
- The President praised the team’s effort despite their painful World Cup playoff loss.
- Tinubu told the Super Eagles to correct mistakes and prepare strongly for the AFCON tournament in Morocco.
- The team is placed in a tough AFCON 2025 group alongside Tanzania, Uganda, and Tunisia.
President Bola Tinubu has appealed to the Super Eagles to put their World Cup setback behind them and begin a determined march toward lifting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in Morocco. His message came on Monday through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the President appreciated the team’s fight during their 2026 World Cup qualification journey even though it ended in disappointment.
Tinubu noted that losing the playoff to the Democratic Republic of Congo was painful for millions of Nigerians, especially since it marked the second consecutive time the country would miss the World Cup. Despite the heartbreak, he insisted that the players deserved credit for pushing hard until the final whistle. Nigeria had won the first leg of the playoff but failed to finish the job in the decisive match.
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The Eagles’ World Cup dream ended on Sunday night in Morocco after a dramatic playoff that stretched into extra time. The match finished 1-1 after 120 minutes, forcing a penalty shootout in which DR Congo edged Nigeria 4-3 to move on to the inter-confederation playoff round. The result crushed Nigeria’s hopes of appearing at the 2026 World Cup.
Tinubu, in his message, encouraged every stakeholder in Nigerian football to return to the drawing board and correct the loopholes that affected the team’s qualification campaign. He stressed that national support must not drop, reminding fans that setbacks are part of the sport but resilience is what pushes great teams forward.
He added that the focus must now shift entirely to the next continental challenge. With AFCON 2025 set for December 2025 to January 2026 in Morocco, the President said the team has enough time to rebuild, strategize and prepare to reclaim its status as one of Africa’s strongest football nations.
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Nigeria, three-time African champions, will compete in Group C with the Taifa Stars of Tanzania, the Cranes of Uganda and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia. The last time the Super Eagles won the AFCON title was in 2013 under the late Stephen Keshi, who had also lifted the trophy as captain in 1994. Before then, Nigeria secured its first-ever AFCON title in 1980 on home soil in Surulere, Lagos.
Tinubu urged the team to draw inspiration from the nation’s football history and write a new chapter at the 2025 tournament. He said the moment calls for unity, discipline, and total commitment from everyone involved in the game.
