Former Fortuna Düsseldorf and Nigeria defender, Abiodun Olugbemiga Obafemi, has revealed the Super Eagles are no longer highly reverred by their African opponents like they used to be, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles sealed qualification to the AFCON 2025 Morocco tournament with a 1-1 draw against the Republic of Benin at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny, but the performance of the team was rather lacklustre, causing a stir among the fans.
The following game didn’t help the reputation of the team either, as they lost to Rwanda for the first time in history, despite going in front first.
Obafemi, who was a part of the Nigerian football team that won an Olympic gold medal in 1998, revealed the inconsistent performances of the three-time AFCON winners has seen their opponents lose the fear they once had for the Nigerian team.
“The fear factor is no longer there now, there is no team coming to Nigeria now that will not believe they have a chance of beating us and that is a minus for us.
“We expected so much from these guys based on their performances with their clubs, but when they come to Nigeria, they do what they cannot in their teams.
It’s a very big concern. They must be competitive. I don’t understand why they are selecting games,” the 50-year-old said in an interview with Brila.
Nigeria will play against Rwanda in March 2025, with a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup up for grabs for both sides.