Nigerian football great Segun Odegbami has admitted he has stopped paying attention to the Super Eagles’ build-up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), saying the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup left him deeply disillusioned.
Odegbami, a key figure in Nigeria’s golden football era, made his feelings known during an appearance on Inspiration FM in Uyo.
He said the pain of missing out on the World Cup was enough to dampen interest in the national team, not just for him but for many Nigerians who live and breathe football.
“I am not following their preparation for AFCON, since our exit from the World Cup qualifiers, the reality is that some of us gave up because football is our business and qualifying for the World Cup is the peak of our business,” Odegbami said.
The former Green Eagles winger, who helped Nigeria win their first AFCON title in 1980, was frank in his assessment of the Super Eagles’ campaign. According to him, the team did not do enough to earn a place on the world stage.
“I don’t think we truly deserved a place at the World Cup, because we didn’t work hard enough, we were not just good enough, so I’m not following what’s happening before the AFCON, I’m not going for the AFCON and that’s the reality,” he revealed.
The 2025 AFCON is scheduled to commence on December 21. The Super Eagles have already arrived in Fes ahead of their Group C matches against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
Away from the debate over the national team, Odegbami remains closely involved in sports development. The former Olympian, who represented Nigeria at the 1976 Games, was recently hosted by the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno.
During the visit, he delivered a motivational talk titled “Sports and I” to athletes as cash rewards were presented to winners of the 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival and the 2025 National Youth Games held in Asaba.
