Iroha calls for introspection as Nigerian football declines

Former Nigerian defender Ben Iroha has called for serious introspection within the country's footballing structures following a series of recent setbacks. He stated that the current decline in the quality of Nigerian football is difficult to accept and requires a deep look at what has gone wrong.

Iroha highlighted the recent failure of the Super Falcons to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. He noted that the team lost to Malawi in the quarter-finals and subsequently failed to defeat South Africa in a play-off match that offered a final chance at qualification.

The Flying Eagles also faced significant disappointment after failing to qualify for the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Iroha described the team's performance as pathetic, specifically pointing to two losses against Burkina Faso at a critical stage of the competition.

The former 1994 AFCON winner linked these recent results to the Super Eagles' failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, even after having a play-off opportunity. He remarked that instead of participating in major tournaments, Nigerian fans are now relegated to watching the Women's World Cup, the U-20 World Cup, and the U-17 World Cup from their homes.

Despite the abundance of talent within the country, Iroha expressed bitterness over the trend of missing out on global stages. He argued that the first step toward fixing the situation is for the nation to sit down and identify the specific errors and omissions that have led to this decline.