Super Eagles Legend Raises Alarm Ahead of WC Playoff Despite Victor Osimhen’s Hat-Trick vs Benin
- Former Nigeria international Brown Ideye has raised concerns over the striking position of the current Super Eagles squad
- Nigeria thrashed Benin Republic 4-0 in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with Victor Osimhen scoring a hat-trick
- The Super Eagles will take on Gabon in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs slated for Morocco next November
Brown Ideye has given his honest verdict on the state of the current Super Eagles strikers playing for the country.
The Dynamo Kyiv legend believes Nigeria will make it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup but will struggle without Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen scored a hat-trick in Nigeria's 4-0 win against Benin Republic on the final matchday of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday, October 14.
With barely his second touch of the game, Victor Osimhen opened the scoring as Nigeria took the lead as early as the 3rd minute.
The Galatasaray striker headed home a second in the 37th minute, having met with Samuel Chukwueze's cross.
Watch Osimhen below:
Desperate to extend their lead, the Super Eagles kept pressing forward, and it was Osimhen again who headed home the third goal in the 51st minute, according to BBC.
In the four matches played without Victor Osimhen, Nigeria managed just four goals. However, the former Napoli striker netted six goals in five appearances for the Super Eagles, scoring twice against Rwanda, once against Zimbabwe, and a hat-trick against Benin, per Al Jazeera.
There is problem in Super Eagles - Ideye
Super Eagles legend Brown Ideye said the country would struggle at the 2026 World Cup if the strikers do not step up their game.
The 2013 Afcon winner said Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen is the only striker scoring consistently. He wrote on X:
"If @victorosimhen9 is the only striker doing numbers when it comes to scoring goals for the super eagles. Then we have a problems if we make it to the World Cup. The other strikers need to step up their game."
Responding to Ideye's tweet, @Cybereagles wrote:
"The issue is two-fold.
"We need better supply from midfield and anticipating his runs.
"Unfortunately for us, he is the only one good enough at converting half-chances.
"We either fix the midfield (supply route) or find a partner who can feed off of him.
"Osimhen is a beast."
@extrapolateASG said:
"The problem is in the creative department. The team lack a proper ball playing midfielder that can control tempo and bring other players into the game like Mikel did in your days. We need a good number 10 and also a decent winger that can compete with Simon a right winger too."
@nicefrancis007 added:
"The issue is our midfield, even Yakubu said he’ll struggle in the current Eagles."
Why Super Eagles are struggling in the WC qualifiers - Aiyegbeni
Legit.ng earlier reported that a former Nigerian international, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, disclosed that the current Super Eagles have struggled in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers because of a lack of creativity.
Aiyegbeni said there are no midfielders who will feed Victor Osimhen the ball consistently whenever he is on the pitch.
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Source: Legit.ng
