Veteran midfielder Alex Iwobi has expressed firm belief that the Super Eagles of Nigeria have what it takes to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
Speaking ahead of Nigeria’s play-off tie with Gabon National Football Team in Rabat on 13 November, on the team’s recovery from a difficult qualifying start and made it clear that he values the squad’s star quality. He said
"We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world. We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen). It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves."
He added that the Eagles have effectively "rescued ourselves from the dead" after stumbling in the early phase of qualification.
Editorial
When a figure such as Alex Iwobi speaks of belief, it is rarely idle rhetoric. In his calm but clear voice one discerns the weight of expectation, the echo of experience, and the urgency of a legacy. Nigeria’s campaign for the 2026 World Cup is more than a fixture list it is an assertion of national football identity, a test of cohesion, and a moment of truth for the Eagles.
For years, the narrative around the Super Eagles has toggled between potential and performance. Talent has abounded Lookman, Osimhen, Iwobi himself but the collective harvest has often lacked consistency. When Iwobi voices confidence now, one senses he is not just rallying his teammates he is challenging the mindset of a nation. His words: "We know we have the players… It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it" speak of more than optimism. They speak of accountability.
This qualification journey is not merely about reaching Mexico/US/Canada in 2026. It is about reshaping how Nigeria is perceived. If the Eagles succeed, it will reaffirm Nigerian football’s capacity to deliver on promise, to match talent with tactical discipline, resilience, and preparation. If they falter, the commentaries will tilt once again to wasted potential.
Nevertheless, belief alone is not sufficient. The play-offs demand focus, cohesion, and execution. Iwobi knows this. He glimpses the wider picture: the star brilliance of Lookman, the goalscoring prowess of Osimhen, the decades of ambition that have built to this moment. But he also sees that stars must align, not just shine.
In the final analysis, Iwobi’s statement is a declaration not of entitlement, but of intent. He is saying we have arrived. The ball is at our feet. The journey is not yet done. The question now is whether Nigeria can exhibit the consistency, the tactical acuity and the nerve to match the words.
Did You Know?
Alex Iwobi made his senior debut for the Super Eagles in 2015 and has since earned over 65 caps for Nigeria.
Nigeria last qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2018 they missed out in 2022, making the 2026 campaign a critical opportunity to re-establish themselves.
Nigeria’s path to the 2026 World Cup includes a play-off stage in Rabat, Morocco, between 13-16 November 2025.
Nigeria has produced several African Footballer of the Year winners, with Lookman being the most recent Nigerian to win that accolade prior to this campaign.
The Super Eagles’ qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup saw a difficult start but improved form in the closing matches of the group phase, which renewed external confidence in their chances.
