‘Missing the World Cup Should Never Happen to Nigeria’,’ says Carl Ikeme
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme has said Nigeria possesses enough quality to ensure the country never misses a FIFA World Cup, describing the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 tournament as a painful setback.
Ikeme, who was forced to retire from football after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia in 2017, admitted that not representing Nigeria at a World Cup remains the biggest regret of his international career.
Nigeria has now missed consecutive editions of the tournament after failing to qualify for Qatar 2022 and the 2026 World Cup.
‘Missing the World Cup is something that should never happen to Nigeria. We have too much quality for that, and it’s still one of my biggest regrets that I never had the opportunity to represent my country at the tournament,’ Ikeme said.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper believes the Super Eagles have the talent to compete with the best teams in the world but stressed that better planning and stronger football administration are needed to maximise the potential of the national team.
‘We have the players to be the best team in Africa. What we need is to make sure everything around the team is working properly so the players can perform at their highest level,’ he added.
Ikeme also called for greater efforts to ensure Nigeria remains a consistent presence at major international tournaments, warning that regular participation on the global stage is vital to the continued development of the national team.
