Former England international, Eniola Aluko, has blamed the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on their performance in crucial moments, insisting the players were simply not good enough when it mattered most.
Nigeria’s World Cup hopes came to an end after a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African playoff final.
The loss came despite earlier tensions within the squad, as players had staged a strike just days before their semi-final clash against Gabon over unpaid entitlements.
The Super Eagles, however, resolved the dispute in time and went on to defeat Gabon after extra time, setting up a decisive final showdown. But according to Aluko, the strike should not be blamed for the team’s ultimate failure.
Speaking on The Playzone podcast, she made it clear that the result against DR Congo was the defining factor.
“We are not going to the FIFA World Cup because we lost to DR Congo.
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They were not good enough on the day,” she said.
Aluko acknowledged that the timing of the strike may have affected the team’s focus, but maintained that it was not the root cause of the defeat.
She stressed that accountability should lie with performance on the pitch.
“I agree the timing was wrong, but if they chose to do that, then they were not fully focused. Still, that’s not the reason they lost,” she added.
She also called on football authorities, particularly the Nigerian Football Federation, to ensure players are paid promptly to avoid unnecessary distractions ahead of critical matches.
Aluko, who earned over 100 caps for England, has close ties to Nigerian football through her brother, Sone Aluko, who represented the Super Eagles.
The team’s failure to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has sparked fresh debate among fans and analysts, with many questioning both the management of the team and the players’ ability to rise to big occasions.
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