Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi says Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has not broken the spirit of the squad, insisting the players remain determined to prove themselves on the international stage, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
“Every footballer dreams of representing their country at the World Cup,” the midfielder said.
“We didn’t achieve it, but that doesn’t mean we arrived in Warsaw demotivated. On the contrary, we want to show our best side and bring some joy to our fans.”
Nigeria’s road to the World Cup ended in the most painful of fashions in Rabat last November.
The Super Eagles drew 1-1 with DR Congo after 120 minutes of football but lost 4-3 on penalties in the CAF playoff final at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay El Hassan.
Frank Onyeka had given Nigeria a perfect start in the third minute, but Meschack Elia levelled for DR Congo in the 32nd minute, and neither side could find a winner through extra time. In the shootout, Calvin Bassey missed Nigeria’s opening kick, Moses Simon also failed to convert, and Semi Ajayi’s miss in sudden death proved the decisive blow as DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba stepped up to bury the winning penalty.
It was the second consecutive World Cup Nigeria had failed to qualify for, and the manner of the exit — on penalties, with the tournament right there for the taking — made it all the harder to swallow.
The Super Eagles had not made it to that stage easily. They survived a scare in the semi-final against Gabon, needing extra time to eventually win 4-1, with Victor Osimhen scoring twice late on after Mario Lemina had dragged the tie level in the 89th minute of regulation.
The final felt like a step too far, with Osimhen also going off injured early in the second half against DR Congo, leaving Nigeria to battle without their talisman at the most critical moment.
That hurt has not disappeared, but Ndidi insists the squad has channelled it productively. The Eagles have since used the international window to rebuild morale and sharpen their cohesion under head coach Eric Chelle, and they arrived in good shape. Nigeria retained the Unity Cup title last Saturday with a commanding 3-0 victory over Jamaica at The Valley in London, combining attacking flair and defensive discipline to see off the Reggae Boyz.
Nigeria remain the only country to have won the Unity Cup since the tournament’s inception, now holding four titles.
With the Poland friendly behind them, attention now turns to Portugal, and Chelle will use the fixture to continue assessing his squad as preparations begin in earnest for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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