Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed his disappointment over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, describing the Super Eagles’ absence as a painful experience for football fans across the country.
Wike said it was difficult to watch the global showpiece without one of Africa’s biggest football nations, especially considering the quality of Nigerian players competing in some of Europe’s top leagues.
“It hurts watching the FIFA World Cup without Nigeria,” Wike said.
The former Rivers State governor noted that many countries with far less football pedigree are participating at the tournament while the Super Eagles are missing for a second consecutive edition.
According to him, Nigeria’s absence is even more frustrating because of the abundance of talent available to the national team.
“We have players competing in some of the biggest leagues in the world, so it’s disappointing not to see Nigeria at the World Cup,” he added.
Wike described the country’s failure to qualify as a source of sadness for millions of football-loving Nigerians, stressing that the Super Eagles belong on football’s biggest stage.
Nigeria, three-time African champions, failed to qualify for consecutive FIFA World Cups for the first time in decades, a development that has continued to attract reactions from former players, administrators and football stakeholders.
