Eric Chelle, the coach of the Super Eagles, believes that specific results during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers ultimately ended the team’s hopes of competing in the tournament. In an interview with Riadh Belaïche, Chelle identified the home fixture against Zimbabwe and the away match against South Africa as the primary setbacks.
Nigeria recorded draws in both of those contests. Following these results and a subsequent defeat to DR Congo in the African play-off final, the Super Eagles were eliminated, marking their second straight absence from the World Cup.
Chelle expressed his frustration regarding the Zimbabwe match, noting that the victory was within their reach before the points slipped away. He emphasized that these dropped points, combined with the stalemate in South Africa, proved costly for the team’s qualification efforts.
