Former Super Eagles striker Peter Ijeh has warned that Nigeria risks repeating the mistakes of the past unless valuable lessons are taken from the country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The former Malmö forward believes the disappointment should serve as a turning point for Nigerian football rather than another missed opportunity.
“There are a lot of lessons to learn from what happened,” Ijeh said.
Despite the heartbreak of missing back-to-back World Cups, Ijeh insisted there are encouraging signs that the Super Eagles are gradually moving in the right direction.
According to the former striker, the rebuilding process has already begun, but consistency will determine whether Nigeria can return to the summit of African football.
“Things have started picking up again, but the process must remain consistent,” he added.
Ijeh stressed that lasting success cannot be achieved without stability and a clear long-term vision.
The former Super Eagles forward also warned that failing to address the shortcomings exposed during the qualification campaign would make it difficult for Nigeria to compete for major honours again.
“If we don’t learn from our failures, it will be difficult to become champions again,” he stated.
Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup has continued to spark debate among former internationals, many of whom have called for structural changes and greater consistency in the management of the national team.
Ijeh believes the country now has an opportunity to rebuild properly, but only if the lessons from the failed qualification campaign are not ignored.
