President Bola Tinubu has praised the Super Eagles for their determined performance in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, despite Nigeria’s narrow loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in Sunday night’s playoff in Morocco.
The dramatic encounter ended 1-1 after extra time, but Nigeria fell 4-3 in the penalty shootout, missing out on World Cup qualification for the second consecutive tournament.
In a statement signed by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President urged the team and stakeholders to accept the setback constructively and refocus on the upcoming African Cup of Nations, scheduled for January to February 2026 in Morocco.
“Notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them. We must now plug all the loopholes. Our football administrators, players, and indeed all stakeholders must go back to the drawing board. Now is the time to focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations. Our Super Eagles must recover the lost glory,” President Tinubu said.
While acknowledging the pain of the defeat, the President emphasised the importance of unity and renewed commitment from all involved in Nigerian football to restore the nation’s standing at the continental level.
