Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has criticised Nigeria’s national team, saying its lack of creativity and poor tactics are behind the country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 42-year-old, who is Nigeria’s fourth-highest all-time goalscorer with 21 goals in 55 appearances, said the current Super Eagles make life hard for strikers because of the team’s weak midfield play.
Speaking on the Sunday Oliseh Podcast, Yakubu said, “When we look at the team, we have too many defensive midfielders. We don’t have a creative midfielder. If I play in this team, I’ll struggle to score goals.”
He pointed to Victor Osimhen’s struggles up front as proof of the team’s problems. “When I look at Osimhen when he plays, he is fighting because he knows already. When you see the goals he scores, he has to hustle by himself,” he explained.
Nigeria’s qualifying campaign has been marked by disappointing results, including draws against Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa. With two matches left, the Eagles sit third in Group C with 11 points, behind South Africa with 17 points and Benin Republic with 14 points.
Yakubu said the lack of balance in midfield makes the team predictable and forces players to rely on individual skill instead of teamwork. “We don’t play like a team, it’s individual football we play, and we want the players to make magic,” he said.
He also criticised the team’s style of play. “We don’t have a midfielder who can pass the ball. We always pass the ball sideways. We cannot string six passes or seven passes. When we pass the ball a bit, then we kick it long. We cannot build a team like this,” he added.
The Super Eagles have scored only nine goals and conceded seven in eight qualifying matches under coach Eric Chelle. With two games left, the team risks missing a second straight World Cup.
Yakubu, who played for Nigeria between 2000 and 2012, made his international debut in April 2000 during a 4–0 win against Eritrea. He also featured in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, though fans still remember his costly miss against South Korea in 2010.
Beyond the national team, ‘The Yak’ remains Nigeria’s top scorer in the English Premier League with 95 goals, having played for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, Leicester, and Blackburn.
