By Stephanie Shaakaa
The Super Eagles have once again dragged Nigerians into that familiar circus of calculators, permutations, and hope-for-miracle scenarios. Our country is blessed with one of the richest pools of football talent in Africa, yet every World Cup qualification turns into a messy classroom exercise.If we draw here, if South Africa slips there, if Benin stumbles, if Rwanda loses,Enough already. Football is not solved on paper, it’s settled on grass.
From the opening games, Nigeria wobbled like a team without direction three draws and a humiliating defeat to Benin. Our minister called it “unacceptable.” Former internationals cried out against “complacency.” Fans shook their heads and said, Here we go again. The sad truth? They were right.
Then, as if to remind us that the eagle still has wings, Victor Osimhen stormed back against Rwanda with a brace that thundered across Kigali. For a moment, we saw the fire. For a moment, we remembered what it means to wear green and white. But let’s not deceive ourselves,one good night does not erase months of sleepwalking.
Nigeria still trails South Africa. Only one team qualifies automatically. Yes, Bafana Bafana may lose points for fielding an ineligible player, but is that what Nigeria has been reduced to waiting for another country’s punishment before we find our salvation?
Moses Simon begged his teammates to step up.A defender can score, a midfielder can score, even a striker can score. That’s the spirit. But spirit without urgency is wasted breath. Daniel Akpeyi said it plainly, we lack identity. Too much individualism, not enough cohesion. And that is the wound bleeding us dry.
The other enemy mismanagement, not talent.
Nigeria doesn’t lack players,we lack management. The truth is bitter but necessary. The Super Eagles are not starved of quality, they are starved of leadership. We boast Victor Osimhen, one of the deadliest strikers in world football. We have midfielders and defenders plying their trade in Europe’s top leagues. On paper, Nigeria should be a powerhouse, not a team praying for permutations.
But poor management has clipped the wings of our Eagles. It denied us a ticket to Qatar 2022, and now, the same disorganisation threatens 2026. Coaching appointments have been politicised. Tactical discipline is missing. Preparation is sloppy. Even basic structures like player welfare, team bonding, and matchday organisation are riddled with inefficiency. When the foundation is weak, the house will always shake.
We also suffer from instability at the helm. Frequent changes in coaching staff kill continuity. The lack of a clear footballing philosophy leaves the team confused. South Africa and Morocco have invested in long-term projects, Nigeria keeps gambling on quick fixes. Our football administrators spend more time firefighting than planning.
Another culprit? Ego and disunity. Too often, our team plays like eleven individuals, not one unit. Daniel Akpeyi was right what South Africa has, we lack,cohesion and identity. Until Nigeria learns to build a team, not just parade stars, we will keep flattering to deceive.
It is time we stop blaming luck and permutations. The problem is not destiny, it is management. Nigeria has the talent. Nigeria has the passion. What we lack is structure, vision, and the courage to overhaul a broken system.
This is bigger than talent. This is about pride. Nigerians don’t want to see eleven stars shining for themselves. We want one blazing constellation. No more lazy passes, no more timid defending, no more excuses. When you wear that jersey, you carry a country of 200 million on your shoulders.
Stop carrying calculators, start carrying courage.
Football is played with boots, not with permutations.
You don’t qualify for the World Cup with ‘if.’ You qualify with goals.
Nigeria is too big for small dreams.
Draws don’t build legacies, victories do.
An eagle that flies with excuses will never soar.
We don’t need mathematics, we need menace.
Hope is not a strategy winning is.
The jersey weighs more than your ego.
South Africa has identity, Benin has hunger what do we have?
The Super Eagles must remember,they are not just footballers, they are 200 million beating hearts on one pitch.
This is not about FIFA rankings or transfer fees, this is about pride, grit, and the will to dominate.
When the green and white meets the grass, Nigeria expects thunder, not timid passes.
Stop dragging Nigerians into equations,we want execution.
Every time you step on that pitch, you represent history, culture, and hope. Don’t betray it.
We don’t need excuses in English, we need results in goals.
A nation that sings your name deserves more than a half-hearted performance.
The Super Eagles must stop behaving like pigeons and remember they are meant to hunt, not to scatter.
To our dearest Super Eagles, stop dragging us into these endless plus-and-minus equations. Stop giving us high blood pressure before every tournament. We don’t need permutations,we need performances. We don’t need hope,we need certainty. Go out there, dominate, win your games outright. That’s the Nigeria we know. That’s the Nigeria we deserve.
Super Eagles, enough of the arithmetic make us believe again.
Don’t give us calculators, give us qualification.
This is Nigeria,play like giants or don’t wear the jersey at all.
No more excuses. No more permutations. Just goals.
Fly, Eagles, fly.
History will not remember the ‘ifs’ only the wins.
A nation is waiting, not with hope, but with demand. Deliver.
