Osaze Odemwingie: Former Super Eagles Star Sends Brutal Message to NFF After World Cup Struggles
- Osaze Odemwingie has labelled the NFF as “unprofessional” after the body’s damaging blame game against players
- The NFF media team had picked on William Troost-Ekong and Cyriel Dessers following Nigeria’s 1-1 draw vs South Africa
- Nigeria’s World Cup hopes are still alive, but now depend on results in other games in Group C
Former Super Eagles forward Osaze Odemwingie has aimed a sly dig at the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), condemning its decision to single out players for Nigeria’s poor 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
His comments come after the NFF’s media team publicly criticised William Troost-Ekong and Cyriel Dessers following the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa.
Source: Getty Images
That result leaves Nigeria’s qualification hopes hanging by a thread as the Super Eagles will need favours from other teams in order to qualify for the 2026 tournament.
NFF under fire for targeting players
The Super Eagles needed back-to-back victories during the September international break to strengthen their position in Group C, but managed only a narrow 1-0 win against Rwanda before the costly draw with South Africa.
After the result, the NFF issued a statement that appeared to hold Troost-Ekong and Dessers responsible for the dropped points.
Odemwingie, who represented Nigeria at two FIFA World Cups and earned 65 caps, did not hold back in his criticism of the federation, Daily Post reports.
He described the statement as “unprofessional” and said it reflected a deep-rooted problem in the administration of Nigerian football.
Odemwingie tasks NFF to act as professionals
In a scathing response, Odemwingie accused NFF officials of lacking the competence and qualifications to handle elite football matters.
“It is a sign that the wrong people are working in our federation,” Odemwingie told Brila.
“They are just like fans, you could give that job to any ordinary supporter, and he might do just as well. This is not how a serious football nation should behave.”
Odemwingie added that such behaviour damaged Nigeria’s image internationally.
“When things get serious at this level, you cannot act like a bushman. This isn’t the time to pick on players. These are men with legacies, and the problems run deeper than one or two missed chances.”
NFF tasked to think big
Odemwingie urged Nigerian football administrators to focus on fixing structural issues instead of seeking scapegoats for Nigeria’s failed World Cup dream.
Source: Getty Images
The former West Brom striker believes the Super Eagles have the quality to compete with the best teams in the world, but off-field mismanagement by the NFF continues to hold the team back.
“We have what it takes to get to a World Cup final, not just qualify for AFCON,” Odemwingie said.
Nigeria sit third in Group C with 11 points, six points behind leaders South Africa, with two matches left to play.
They will need to win both games and hope results elsewhere go their way to keep their World Cup dream alive.
Dessers silences NFF with goal
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers has silenced the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) following his strike in Panathinaikos' 1-0 win over Athens Kallithea in the Greek Cup.
Dessers tucked home from close range in the 30th minute of the encounter, giving his side all three points.
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Source: Legit.ng
