Super Eagles duo, Alex Iwobi and Ola Aina have backed the Nigerian Football team to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite their early hiccups, Soccernet.ng reports.
The pair played in every one of the Super Eagles’ games in the AFCON 2023 tournament as Nigeria lost to Ivory Coast in the finals.
Nigeria’s journey to securing a potential spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been far from smooth. The three-time AFCON winners drew two games under Jose Peseiro. Following the exit of the Portuguese, Nigeria lost to Benin Republic and drew to the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
Fulham’s attacking midfielder, Iwobi, featured at the 2018 World Cup with the Super Eagles in Russia and is keen on relieving the moment by leading Nigeria to USA in 2026.
“I hope we qualify because it’s everyone’s dream. Obviously, I’m lucky to have lived to play the World Cup, but there are some people like Ola (Aina), who were unfortunate not to have gone when I feel like they should have been picked. Everyone wants to go to the World Cup. We still have a chance. We made it hard for ourselves,” the former Arsenal man said on Ola Aina’s YouTube channel.
Ola Aina, who played in the AFCON 2023 final with an injury, also maintained positivity in the Super Eagles’ chances of qualifying for the World Cup, praising the quality in the team.
“I think we’ll get there. I don’t know if it’s a stretch, but you see the way Ghana went and got to the quarter-finals in 2010, we can get to the semis. Our team is so talented, and we can actually do something. I think the AFCON was just a little glimpse of what we can do,” the Nottingham Forest full-back added.
Nigeria are still without a coach since Finidi George handed in his resignation letter after the June International break.