Sunday Oliseh, former midfielder for both the Super Eagles and Borussia Dortmund, has shared insights on why Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup might be slim, according to Soccernet.ng.
At 51 years old, Oliseh once captained Nigeria during the 2002 African Cup of Nations and played a pivotal role in the team’s comeback to secure a spot at the 2002 World Cup. Despite his contributions, the former Juventus player was controversially left out of the World Cup squad held in South Korea and Japan that year due to disciplinary issues.
In his absence, the iconic Jay-Jay Okocha took over the captaincy for Nigeria at the tournament. Following this, Oliseh retired from international football at just 28, demanding the settlement of unpaid bonuses and allowances owed to the players.
During the 2002 World Cup, Festus Onigbinde was appointed head coach of the Nigerian squad, supported by the late Shuaibu Amodu, Joe Erico, and Stephen Keshi-who were instrumental in turning around Nigeria’s qualification campaign after trailing Liberia by five points.
The exclusion of key players like Finidi George and Sunday Oliseh sparked criticism from Okocha, who voiced concerns about the squad’s balance. Nigeria exited the tournament at the group stage, managing only a single point and failing to score any goals.
“It’s unfortunate for those players because they are talented. While the coach’s decision must be respected, I believe both should have been part of the team,” Okocha expressed, as reported by The Guardian.
Oliseh Reflects on the 2002 Super Eagles’ Downfall
Oliseh revealed that after the Nigerian Football Federation sidelined the efforts of Joe Erico, Stephen Keshi, and Shuaibu Amodu-who had successfully guided Nigeria to the World Cup-Erico reportedly placed a curse on the team, a sentiment Oliseh believes still lingers.
“Before his passing, Coach Erico made it clear that what happened to us in 2002 led him to sit alone and curse Nigeria,” Oliseh shared during the Bet9ja podcast.
“Erico, Keshi, and Shuaibu Amodu were exceptional men who took charge of the team. Keshi, still new to coaching, was deeply committed and often discussed his strategies with me to ensure Nigeria’s qualification for the 2002 World Cup.
“At one point, we were trailing Liberia by five points, much like the current situation. Many had written us off, but under their leadership, the team united and fought back.
“Keshi even called me from the United States while I was coordinating the players, and bit by bit, we rebuilt our strength.”
Oliseh also commended his teammates for elevating their performances during the qualifiers.
“Players such as Victor Agali and Yakubu Ayegbeni stepped up remarkably. Yakubu even traveled to Sudan and scored twice in a match I missed due to a neck injury.
“It baffles me how the management could disregard such efforts and then exclude me from the World Cup squad.
“They selected players who hadn’t participated in the qualifiers and blamed me for the fallout, even accusing us of disrespecting a government minister.
“All these actions fractured the team. In my view, that was the moment the Super Eagles began to unravel,” Oliseh concluded.
Oliseh has consistently expressed skepticism about appointing foreign coaches to lead the Super Eagles, highlighting the trust issues and internal discord that plagued the team during his captaincy.
While the notion of Erico’s curse affecting Nigeria’s World Cup qualification remains unproven, the Super Eagles must secure a victory against the Republic of Benin in their upcoming match to keep their hopes alive for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.