Nigeria coach Eric Chelle has stirred debate after accusing a member of DR Congo’s staff of carrying out what he called “voodoo” gestures during the dramatic penalty shootout that ended the Super Eagles’ bid for a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Nigeria were knocked out on Sunday night in Rabat after a 4-3 defeat on penalties, following a tense 1-1 draw over 120 minutes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

The loss means the Super Eagles will miss the World Cup for the second straight tournament.

A video posted by ESPN Africa on X on Monday showed Eric Chelle speaking to reporters shortly after the match.

In the clip, he said he became irritated during the VAR check for a penalty incident when he noticed a DR Congo staff member repeatedly performing the same gestures.

“During all the penalty decisions, a guy from Congo did some voodoo… Every time, every time, every time. So this is why I was a little nervous after him,” Chelle said.

When he was asked to explain what he saw, he moved his hands as he replied: “Something like that. I don’t know if it’s water or something like that.”

There is no independent confirmation of the claims.