Sport
Osayi-Samuel Says Super Eagles Can Still Qualify for 2026 World Cup if They Stay United
Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel has expressed confidence that Nigeria still has a strong shot at qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the slow start to their qualifying campaign.
Speaking to journalists during the final of the second edition of the Bright Osayi Football Tournament for under-13 players, held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the Fenerbahçe star shared his belief in the team’s ability to bounce back.
According to him, the players are determined to fight for qualification and are fully behind head coach Eric Chelle’s vision. “I believe we can still make it. The goal is to go out and win every match,” Osayi-Samuel said. “It won’t be easy, but we believe in ourselves and the team.”
He added that with the right mindset and unity, the Super Eagles can turn their situation around. The Nigerian international also praised Chelle, describing him as a brilliant coach whose style the team has embraced. “For me, the coach is doing a great job. His approach, the way he wants us to press and run, the entire team is on board with it,” he explained.
Osayi-Samuel pointed to their recent solid performance against a tough Russian side, mentioning that progress is being made. “In our last match against Russia, we held our ground against a team that had gone unbeaten in six or seven games. If we keep pushing together, I believe we have a real chance,” he concluded.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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