The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially rejected a contentious press statement that unfairly singled out Captain Troost-Ekong and Cyriel Dessers for the Super Eagles’ underwhelming 1-1 draw against South Africa in a pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Needing a win to keep their automatic qualification hopes alive, Nigeria’s stalemate now places them six points behind group leaders South Africa, casting serious doubt on their chances of advancing to the playoff stage.
The disputed release, issued by the NFF’s Communications Department shortly after the match at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, attributed the disappointing result primarily to the subpar performances of Ekong and Dessers.
However, in a statement to African Independent Television (AIT) on Wednesday, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi clarified that the Federation did not endorse the blame-focused communiqué. He expressed the NFF’s displeasure over the incident and assured that corrective measures would be taken.
“While we are proud of our players’ efforts, the result itself is regrettable, and we extend our apologies to Nigerians for this setback,” Sanusi remarked. “It is a tough pill to swallow, but as a man of faith, I trust that everything happens according to God’s plan.”
Sanusi stressed the importance of shared accountability, noting, “Victory is a team achievement, and losses should never be pinned on individual players. The NFF holds all its players in high regard.”
He highlighted Ekong’s valuable contributions to Nigerian football, referencing his accolade as ‘Player of the Tournament’ at the recent AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire. Sanusi expressed bewilderment over the origin of the divisive press release and reiterated the Federation’s appreciation for the squad regardless of the match outcome.
“No player deliberately scores an own goal; it was an unfortunate incident,” he added. “The NFF, alongside the National Sports Commission and federal government, continues to support our players even as we come to terms with this disappointing result.”
Sanusi confirmed that an internal inquiry is underway to identify the source of the unauthorized statement, with appropriate disciplinary actions forthcoming.
This draw severely hampers Nigeria’s World Cup ambitions. With only 11 points from eight fixtures, the Super Eagles face the real possibility of missing back-to-back FIFA World Cup tournaments, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 event in Qatar.
