Former Nigerian international Peter Nieketen has attributed the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to a lack of commitment among players.
NIeketen insisted that only dedicated footballers should be invited to represent the national team.
Speaking in an interview with Sports247, the retired midfielder and forward said Nigeria possessed enough quality to qualify for the Mundial but failed because some players did not show the same level of commitment displayed during the Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
“Our major problem has been players that are not committed to the cause of the national team,” Nieketen said.
“If the commitment they exhibited during the last Nations Cup was applied during the World Cup qualifiers, definitely Nigeria would have been at the World Cup.”
The former international urged the coaching crew to ensure that no player sees himself as untouchable in the national team setup, stressing that opportunities should remain open for committed players willing to fight for the country.
“Players should not believe they are automatic choices. Options should be open to other players who are willing to wear the green and white jersey with pride,” he stated.
“If the team is competitive, everybody will fight for his position. If you know you are being invited and you are not willing to play, it is better not to come.”
Nieketen also expressed concern over what he described as sentiment in player selection, warning that merit must remain the major criterion if the Super Eagles are to regain their lost glory.
“My pain is that players are being invited and given opportunities in friendly games, but when it comes to competitive matches, will they get the same opportunity? Or will selection be based on sentiment?” he queried.
“If we remove sentiment, we will bounce back to become the Super Eagles we used to be.”
The former footballer, however, commended current Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle for his efforts so far, saying the Malian tactician has not done badly since taking charge of the team.
“So far, so good, he has not done badly,” Nieketen added. “The important thing is for him to be able to control the players. If the players are disciplined professionally, I believe they will give him good results because Nigeria has good players.”
With the FIFA World Cup approaching and Nigeria absent from the tournament, Nieketen also shared his views on the chances of African representatives at the global showpiece.
According to him, African teams may struggle despite their recent improvements in international football.
“The African teams are going to struggle,” he said.
“Let us just pray that some of them are privileged to be in good groups. I cannot guarantee any African team getting to the semi-finals.”
Peter Nieketen, born on November 26, 1968, in Port Harcourt, enjoyed a successful football career as a midfielder and forward during the 1980s and 1990s before moving into coaching and football administration.
He represented Nigeria at both youth and senior international levels.
