The former Green Eagles winger said Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup had taken an emotional toll on him and many football enthusiasts, significantly dampening enthusiasm for the national team as attention turns to the continental showpiece.
Speaking on Inspiration FM in Uyo, Odegbami said the World Cup remains the pinnacle of global football and a central benchmark for measuring progress, adding that missing out on qualification undermined confidence in the team’s overall direction.
According to him, the Super Eagles did not do enough during the qualification campaign to merit a place at the World Cup, citing what he described as insufficient effort and a lack of quality.
He noted that the disappointment has affected his personal engagement with the team, stating that he is no longer actively following developments around the Super Eagles or making plans to attend the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 2025 AFCON is scheduled to kick off on December 21, with Nigeria already in Fés ahead of their Group C fixtures against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. Despite the team’s presence at the tournament, public debate has continued around expectations and whether recent struggles could spill into their continental campaign.
Odegbami, a key member of Nigeria’s historic 1980 AFCON-winning squad and a representative of the country at the 1976 Olympic Games, has remained an influential voice in Nigerian football discourse, often offering candid assessments of the sport’s administration and performance.
He recently visited Akwa Ibom State as a guest of Governor Umo Eno, where he delivered a motivational talk titled “Sports and I” to athletes during the presentation of cash awards to winners of the 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival and the 2025 National Youth Games held in Asaba.
While the Super Eagles prepare for another AFCON campaign, Odegbami’s comments reflect a broader sense of frustration among sections of the football community, underscoring the pressure on the team to restore confidence through strong performances on the continental stage.