Tinubu Praises Super Eagles, Urges Fresh Focus After World Cup Exit

President Bola Tinubu has applauded the Super Eagles for their resilience in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, despite their heartbreaking playoff loss to DR Congo on Sunday.

Nigeria’s hopes were dashed at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, where the match ended 1–1 after extra time before DR Congo clinched a 4–3 victory on penalties to advance to the intercontinental playoff.

Frank Onyeka opened scoring for Nigeria in the early minutes, but M. Elia levelled for DR Congo in the 32nd minute. Extra time saw tense moments on both ends — Tolu Arokodare narrowly missing a header and goalkeeper Nwabali pulling off a crucial stop — yet neither side could find a decisive goal.

The shootout sealed Nigeria’s fate, with misses from Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon proving costly. Although Nwabali saved DR Congo’s first attempt, the Congolese eventually edged through, marking Nigeria’s second straight failure to qualify for the World Cup.

In a statement released Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu praised the team’s commitment. “Notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them,” he said.

He called for a sober review of the qualifiers, urging all stakeholders to “plug all the loopholes” and return to the drawing board to rebuild confidence and strategy in the nation’s football ecosystem.

With Morocco set to host the Africa Cup of Nations in January–February 2026, Tinubu encouraged the team to channel their energy toward reclaiming glory on the continental stage.

He noted that, despite the painful outcome, the Super Eagles showed courage and determination across both playoff matches and deserved the nation’s continued support moving forward.