Osimhen Opens Up on Missing Two Straight World Cups
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has admitted that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been a difficult experience for him and his teammates.
Speaking publicly for the first time during a recent social‑media livestream, Osimhen said missing the tournament for the second consecutive time was painful for the national team.
Background on Nigeria’s World Cup Quest
The expanded 2026 World Cup, featuring 48 teams for the first time, kicked off last week with nations from around the globe participating.
Despite Africa receiving nine automatic slots plus an additional playoff berth, Nigeria — one of the continent’s traditional football powerhouses — is absent from the tournament.
Reacting to the Super Eagles’ absence, Osimhen said the situation hurts not only him personally but also the rest of the squad.
“It’s bad, not just for me but for the rest of the guys,” Osimhen stated.
He added, “We’ve missed out twice in a row. Sometimes life happens, so we just have to keep moving.”
Osimhen’s remarks echo the sentiment of many Nigerian fans who had hoped the Super Eagles would return to the global stage after missing the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Nigeria’s qualification hopes ended after the Super Eagles finished second in their group and were later eliminated by DR Congo in the continental playoffs, confirming their absence from the expanded tournament.
This marks the second consecutive World Cup that Nigeria will miss, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 edition. The country’s last appearance was in 2018 in Russia, where the Super Eagles exited at the group stage.
As a result, several members of the current national team, including Osimhen himself, have yet to play on football’s biggest stage.
Although the disappointment is hard to accept, Osimhen said the players have no choice but to move forward and concentrate on future assignments.
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