Former Super Eagles midfielder Friday Ekpo has delivered a blunt assessment of Nigeria’s World Cup collapse, insisting that Sunday’s defeat to DR Congo was not an accident, but the inevitable result of years of poor planning, complacency and misplaced entitlement.
Ekpo, speaking with the clarity of a man who has seen Nigerian football rise and fall, said the warning signs were present long before the penalty shootout drama in Rabat.
Read Also: “This Is Not the Time for Blame”—Olopade Calls For Calm As Nigeria Licks World Cup Wounds
According to him, Nigeria entered the 2026 qualifiers with the belief that pedigree alone would guarantee progress — a mentality he says was evident right from the opening fixture against Cape Verde, where the Eagles wasted chances and played “as if qualification was their birthright.”
The former midfielder emphasised that DR Congo were not lucky; they were simply better prepared. He noted that the Leopards, who share a rich footballing history with Nigeria dating back to the 1960s, had shown hunger, tactical discipline and unity throughout the playoffs. From Meshack Elia’s cool equaliser to the confidence shown in the shootout, Ekpo said Congo played like a team that had rehearsed every possible scenario.
Ekpo also pointed to Nigeria’s internal turmoil — from late squad announcements to pre-match bonus disputes and tactical inconsistency — as evidence of a system in chaos. Even though Eric Chelle had managed to steady the team with improved performances in March, June and October, he argued that no coach can succeed when surrounded by administrative disorder.
“DR Congo didn’t beat us on Sunday,” Ekpo said. “They beat us months ago — when we failed to prepare properly.”
While recognising the quality of players like Osimhen, Lookman and Nwabali, Ekpo insisted talent alone is not enough to win at elite level. He called for urgent structural reform, warning that until Nigeria fixes its planning, mentality and organisation, heartbreaks like Rabat will keep repeating themselves.
