Nwabali Opens Up on Nigeria’s World Cup woes

As Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hang by a thread, Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has offered a candid reflection on the team’s faltering campaign, his personal battles with injury, and his aspirations for European football.

Speaking to journalist Osasu Obayiuwana at Braam Fischer Airport in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Nwabali didn’t mince words about Nigeria’s performance in the qualifiers.

‘We (as a team) should have made more effort to qualify for the World Cup. We left it very late. We have an AFCON to prepare for and I hope we take that very seriously,’ he said.

Nigeria currently sits third in Group C, trailing leaders South Africa, and faces an uphill battle to secure a spot in the global showpiece. For Nwabali, the issue goes beyond tactics, it’s about mindset.

‘The rest of Africa is coming up and we should not expect easy games on the continent anymore. We must prepare properly if we want to win and qualify for tournaments,’ he warned.

Despite his commitment on the pitch, Nwabali revealed he played through pain during Nigeria’s September qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.

The Chippa United shot-stopper also addressed his fiery demeanor during the match against Rwanda, where his aggressive reaction to provocation nearly earned him a red card.

‘Yes, I was not in a good mood during that game because of the way some of the Rwandan players were behaving towards me. I was quite upset about it,’ Nwabali explained.