Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has admitted that even he would find it difficult to score goals in the current Nigerian national team, pointing to a lack of creativity and supply from midfield as a major concern.
Speaking as a guest on a YouTube podcast hosted by ex-teammate and Nigerian football legend Sunday Oliseh, the former Everton and Portsmouth forward expressed concern over the team’s attacking struggles, noting that the Super Eagles’ inability to consistently create chances is a key reason for their recent dip in form.
“When we look at the team, we have too many defensive midfielders,” Aiyegbeni said while commenting on the team’s struggles in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
“We don’t have a creative midfielder. If I play in this team, I’ll struggle to score goals. I’m telling you because when you look at Osimhen when he plays, he’s fighting because he knows already.
“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.”
With eight matches played in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria’s Super Eagles find themselves in a tight race — but their lack of firepower in front of goal remains a growing concern.
So far, the Eagles have scored just nine goals and conceded seven, leaving them with a goal difference of +2 — a figure that pales in comparison to their main group rivals.
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Group leaders South Africa (Bafana Bafana) have been more clinical, netting 14 goals and conceding six, with a healthy +8 goal difference. Benin Republic’s Cheetahs, currently second in the group, have scored 11 and conceded seven, giving them a +4 difference.
For Nigeria, the only match in which they managed to score more than once was their 2-0 win over Rwanda in March — a game that saw Victor Osimhen bag a decisive brace.
As the qualifiers enter a critical phase, the Super Eagles will need to rediscover their attacking edge, especially with key fixtures against Lesotho and Benin Republic scheduled for October. Those matches could prove decisive in determining who secures the group’s sole World Cup ticket.
If Nigeria hopes to book a place at the 2026 World Cup, they’ll need to not only win, but win convincingly.
