Chukwu advises Eagles to overcome Qatar 2022 World Cup setbacks.
• 48 teams, 104 games 2026 format does not favor Africa
Former national team coach Christian Chukwu has advised the Super Eagles technical crew and players to overcome the disappointment of not qualifying for the Qatar 2022 World Cup and show the world that they are still football powerhouses. .
Nigeria has lost its 2022 World Cup tickets to Ghana. The football festival was hosted by Qatar. It was the first time since 2006 that a team had been disqualified for the Copa du Mundo.
The Eagles will launch another campaign to qualify for international football on 24 March, this time targeting the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast. The Eagles will host Guinea-Bissau in Abuja on March 24th and return to Bissau on March 27th.
Chukwu told The Guardian newspaper that while it was painful for Nigeria to miss the World Cup in Qatar, the match against Guinea-Bissau would be a good opportunity for the Eagles to reaffirm their greatness in African football.
He also advised the team not to underestimate Guinea-Bissau, despite not being an A-list team in Africa, and said that modern football has no weak side anymore.
A former Super Eagles coach has urged technical staff to ensure only the best available players are selected for the match, saying it could ruin Nigeria’s chances of returning to international football.
“Nigeria cannot afford to miss AFCON 2024 after failing to qualify for the last World Cup. We need to prepare seriously for the match.
“Players have to concentrate mentally for the game because African football no longer has small teams,” he said.
Also on FIFA’s decision to increase the number of teams in the World Cup from 32 to 48 from the 2026 edition, Chukwu said that all teams participating in the World Cup would have the same chances, so the format would be for African teams. said there was no advantage to the competition.
FIFA approved increasing the number of teams hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in the 2026 World Cup to 48 at its executive board meeting in Kigali, Rwanda last Tuesday. A minimum of three games while providing balanced rest periods between competing teams.
This format means there will be 104 matches in the tournament compared to 64 matches in the 2022 tournament.
Commenting on this development, Chukwu said, “Africa will have more representatives at the World Cup, but they will still have to play the same number of matches as the other teams. It depends on a team with quality players.
“If Nigeria is to make a big step forward at the next World Cup, it must first qualify and then adopt a program tailored to keep its athletes and technical crews in top form in the competition. “