World Cup
Why Jose Peseiro must be sacked
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
A stitch in time, saves nine is a popular adage. So also is another adage – “For want of a nail” which is a proverb reminding that seemingly unimportant acts or omissions can have grave and unforeseen consequences.
For those not too familiar with the primary school poem, it comes from a longer proverb about a battle during which the loss of a nail in a horseshoe leads to the loss of a horse, which leads to the loss of the rider, which leads to the loss of the battle, which in turn leads to the loss of a whole kingdom.
This is very apt in the current Super Eagles’ situations regarding the Africa Cup of Nations in January and the remaining eight matches of the 2026 World Cup qualification.
It is 10 years since Nigeria last won the prestigious continental title, the Africa Cup of Nations. Another edition is just 47 days away from this Monday 27 November.
Nigeria Super Eagles are in Group A along with hosts, Cote d’Ivoire and two of the three Guinea teams in the continent – Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau.
In a normal equation, the Super Eagles are expected to revel along with hosts, take one of the group’s two slots, and advance to the knock-out stage.
Considering the Super Eagles’ match results in the last four matches since October, the signals are clear that nothing much should be expected.
The team barely struggled to escape possible defeats against lowly ranked football teams such as Saudi Arabia, Mozambique, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe. The previously lively side and pride of football connoisseurs have been turned into a laborious outfit.
The situation becomes a double jeopardy as not just Nigeria’s outing at the Africa Cup of Nations is a grave risk, but the possible non-qualification for the glamorous FIFA World Cup in 2026 looms large.
The major cause is the coach in charge, the Portuguese José Peseiro Vitor dos Santos Peseiro, unqualified personnel who has been saddled with what is easily the ‘second most important job in the country’ – apologies to Niall Edworthy, author of the book: “Second Most Important Job in the Country” -an account of England football managers.
Peseiro came as Nigeria’s first-ever Portuguese coach and in succession to Franco-German Gernot Rohr, the national team coach with the longest tenure. His pedigree at the appointment did not suggest his qualifications for the job.
He had only previously handled two lowly-rated national teams – Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Peseiro’s other jobs were being assistant to other coaches and handling clubs in the fourth-tier Portuguese league.
He possibly got the Nigerian job under the benefit of the doubt. The results have been largely disappointing. In 15 matches to date, his Super Eagles won just five matches across all competitions. Of the five, only two against Africa’s least-ranked team, Sao Tome e Principe were convincing.
The Super Eagles labored to narrow victories at home and on neutral ground to Sierra Leone (2-1 and 3-2) and had to depend on the fortuity of a penalty kick to beat Guinea Bissau who had earlier shocked Nigeria with a 1-0 defeat in Abuja.
The benefit of the doubt probably explains why Peseiro was given the Super Eagles’ job. But performances have not squared with expectations. The latest results have cast doubts on the possibility of Nigeria navigating what should have been their easiest path ever to the World Cup.
A supposedly easy task has turned a Greek puzzle. For the first time ever, Lesotho got a point in an encounter with Super Eagles. So also was Zimbabwe which only just returned to international football after being previously banned by FIFA.
The two teams were supposed to be the ‘softest’ of the five Nigeria was supposed to face on the road to World Cup 2026. From the call-up to camp to deployment of players to the field, Peseiro got all wrong.
He invited some players that have being sidelined even by their lowly clubs. An example was Joe Aribo who plays outside the English Premiership for Southampton in the lower division English Championship. He has had mere cameo appearances for his lower division club, but found good enough for Nigeria’s lead brand by Peseiro.
Goalkeeping is the weakest point of the Super Eagles. Yet, Peseiro, against all logic, stuck to just one out of the three he called up, even in friendly matches where he ought to have explored all options by giving playing time to the other two.
Taiwo Awoniyi, already injured and sidelined by his club, was called up by Peseiro who also fielded him as a starter in a World Cup qualifier. What was the justification? In the Lesotho match, the groin injury got aggravated and now the player is out of service for months!
It is needless to point out that the player is now out of the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
As it has turned out, the Super Eagles’ possibility of scaling the heights at the Afcon 2023 is highly doubtful under Peseiro.
The NFF may have to cough out some amount to terminate the short-term contract with Peseiro. This should not matter as the country stands to gain more from the termination of the contract whose current validity is February 2024.
Qualification for the World Cup guarantees the NFF, at least $2 million. Featuring and crashing out at the group stage is $10 million bringing to the coffers of the football federation a minimum of $12 million.
This and possibly more will only be realistic without the services of Peseiro. Why then hesitate to dispense off the services? After all, when the horse is too old or weak to pull the cart, the slaughter man decides its fate.
Looking at the antecedents, it is obvious that Peseiro did not have the right credentials to justify the conferment of the Super Eagles’ responsibility on him. He came to Nigeria just to improve his deficient CV.
He admitted in an interview with Sky Sports last month, that he missed silverware in his career as a player and as coach. But he expects to win his first-ever silverware by taking the Super Eagles to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
How do you expect a man who cannot get to the top of Olumo Rock in Abeokuta to climb Mount Everest?
Our expectations have reached a saturation point. No amount of planning and suggestion can improve Peseiro. It will constitute an unjustifiable drain on national resources to continue to retain him.
He has given Nigeria the worst start in a World Cup qualification in 50 years. The latest result means that for the first time ever, Nigeria has not won five World Cup qualifying matches in a row, even against a lowly-ranked team. The Super Eagles under him has become a global laughing stock.
The only team his technical knowledge is capable of overcoming is Sao Tome & Principe, one of the lowest-ranked teams in Africa.
Unlike his more successful predecessors like Father Tiko, Clemens Westerhoff, and Nigeria’s home-grown Stephen Keshi who scouted for local players and polished them to international prominence, Peseiro suffers from fixation against home-grown talents.
Before he pushes us further down the abyss, it is better we show him the red card. Without Peseiro, the Super Eagles can bounce back into the international reckoning. Let’s stop Peseiro before he destroys our precious national asset, the Super Eagles.
Nigeria Under Jose Peseiro
28 May 2022 Mexico 2-1 Nigeria
2 June 2022 Ecuador 1-0 Nigeria
9 June 2022 Nigeria 2-1 Sierra Leone
13 June 2022 Sao Tome & Principe 0-10 Nigeria
27 September 2022 Algeria 2-1 Nigeria
9 November 2022 Costa Rica 0-0 Nigeria
17 November 2022 Portugal 4-0 Nigeria
24 March 2023 Nigeria 0-1 Guinea Bissau
27 March 2023 Guinea Bissau 0-1 Nigeria
18 June 2023 Sierra Leone 2-3 Nigeria
10 September 2023 Nigeria 6-0 Sao Tome & Principe
13 October 2023 Nigeria 2-2 Saudi Arabia
16 October 2023 Mozambique 2-3 Nigeria
16 November 2023 Nigeria 1-1 Lesotho
19 November 2023 Zimbabwe 1-1 Nigeria
Iraq coach Graham Arnold has called for the team’s inter-confederation World Cup playoff in Mexico later this month to be postponed amidst the travel chaos triggered by the conflict in neighbouring Iran.
The Iraqis are concerned they might not be able to get their players and staff over to Mexico for their scheduled clash with either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey on March 31 because of the travel lockdown in the Middle East.
Arnold said putting together a team solely with players based outside Iraq would hinder the country’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
“It wouldn’t be our best team, and we need our best team available for the country’s biggest game in 40 years,” the Australian told the Australian Associated Press from his home in the United Arab Emirates.
“The Iraqi people are so passionate about the game of football that it is insane. The fact that they haven’t qualified for 40 years is probably the main reason I took this job.
“But at this stage, with the airport being shut down, we are working hard to try and find another alternative.”
Iraqi airspace has been closed since the United States and Israel launched air attacks on Iran on February 28, and the Islamic Republic responded by firing missiles and drones at Israel, Gulf states and other nearby countries.
– United Arab Emirates v Iraq – Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – November 13, 2025 Iraq players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo
Bolivia and Suriname are scheduled to meet in the inter-confederation playoff semi-final in Monterrey on March 26 to decide which team meets Iraq in the final five days later.
“In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game, it would give us time to prepare properly,” Arnold added.
“Let Bolivia play Suriname this month , and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the US – the winner of that game stays on, and the loser goes home.
“Our federation’s president, Adnan Dirjal, is working around the clock trying to plan and prepare to make everyone in Iraq’s dream come true, so we need this decision made quickly.”
The finals take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
There was no immediate response to a request for comment on Arnold’s suggestion from FIFA, global soccer’s governing body.
New Caledonia, Jamaica and the Democratic Republic of Congo will travel to Guadalajara later this month to compete in the other three-way playoff for a ticket to the World Cup finals.
-Reuters
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Former Germany striker Karl-Heinz Riedle has played down his country’s chances of winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup, warning that Die Mannschaft may struggle to match the strength of leading contenders such as Spain, France and Brazil.
Germany, four-time world champions and historically among the most consistent teams in global football, have seen expectations dip after suffering back-to-back group-stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Riedle, a member of the team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup, believes the current German side is capable of progressing from its group at the 2026 finals in North America but may find it difficult to challenge for the title.
“It is a group Germany definitely should survive. If we can’t survive, that would be a really big blow,” Riedle told Singaporean newspaper, The Straits Times, during a visit to Singapore. “But I’m not sure they can win it. A good result would be reaching the quarter-finals or the semi-finals.”
Germany have been drawn alongside Curacao, Cote d’Ivoire and Ecuador, a grouping Riedle believes should be manageable despite concerns over injuries to key players.
The 60-year-old former forward, who also played for Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool FC and Fulham FC, singled out Spain, France and Brazil as the strongest contenders for the 2026 crown.
“Spain, France and Brazil have the best players and the best teams,” he said. “Spain are European champions, France have reached the last two finals, and Brazil are always there.”
Riedle also suggested that England could emerge as a dark horse under new coach Thomas Tuchel, noting that a change in leadership could help the Three Lions finally translate their talent into major tournament success.
Germany’s preparations for the tournament remain complicated. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann inherited a side in transition in 2023 after the dismissal of Hansi Flick and continues to grapple with several squad issues.
Injuries to attacking stars Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz have raised doubts about their readiness for the tournament, while uncertainty persists in goal following the international retirement of Manuel Neuer. Girona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen has also been sidelined by injury, leaving Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann to fill the No. 1 role despite limited international experience.
Nagelsmann has also acknowledged problems in midfield, noting a shortage of physically dominant defensive midfielders capable of winning aerial duels.
Despite the concerns, Riedle believes young talent such as Florian Wirtz could still play a decisive role. The 22-year-old, who recently completed a £100 million move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, has faced criticism after a slow start in England, but Riedle remains confident in his ability.
“He is the best talent we have had from Germany for a long time,” he said. “He had to adapt, but you will see his best.”
For Riedle, however, Germany’s success will ultimately depend on rediscovering the collective spirit that defined their triumph under Franz Beckenbauer in 1990.
“Our biggest strength then was that the team came first,” he recalled. “We had individual stars, but the coach brought them together to build a strong group. That is what Germany must look for again.”
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By Kunle Solaja.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has appointed Mohamed Ouahbi as the new head coach of Morocco’s senior national football team as part of a broader strategic vision dubbed “Morocco 2030.”
Ouahbi led Morocco to the winning of the FIFA U-20 World Cup last year in Chile.
The federation also announced that Portuguese tactician João Sacramento will join the national team’s coaching staff, bringing international experience gained at top European clubs.
The appointments were unveiled by FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa as part of a long-term roadmap designed to strengthen Morocco’s football structure and sustain the country’s recent progress on the global stage.
Lekjaa described the changes as more than a routine managerial shift.
“This announcement is not just a simple change: it is a strategic transition,” he said. “Our goal is to continuously advance Moroccan football with a roadmap that connects the national team, youth development, training structures and women’s football.”
According to Lekjaa, the “Morocco 2030” project aims to consolidate the country’s status among the world’s elite football nations while preparing for future major tournaments, including the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Reward for Youth Development Success
Ouahbi’s appointment underscores the federation’s commitment to promoting domestic coaching expertise. The Moroccan tactician rose to prominence after guiding the country’s under-20 side to victory at the FIFA U‑20 World Cup, earning a reputation for strong player development, disciplined team structure and high-performance standards.
The federation believes his experience within Morocco’s football development system will ensure continuity between the youth teams and the senior national side.
Reacting to his appointment, Ouahbi expressed gratitude for the opportunity and pledged to uphold the ambitions of the Moroccan football project.
“I am honoured by the trust placed in me by the federation,” Ouahbi said. “We will work with dedication and humility, relying on a clear method and a collective ambition to improve match after match and help the team reach new heights.”
International Expertise Added to Technical Bench
To complement the new coach, the FRMF confirmed the addition of Sacramento to the technical staff. The Portuguese coach previously served as assistant manager at leading European clubs, including Paris Saint‑Germain, AS Roma and Tottenham Hotspur.
The federation said his experience in high-performance environments will enhance the team’s tactical preparation and day-to-day technical operations.
Tribute to Regragui
The FRMF also paid tribute to outgoing national team coach Walid Regragui for his contributions during his tenure with the Atlas Lions.
President Lekjaa praised Regragui’s dedication and service, while the former coach expressed appreciation to Morocco’s football authorities and supporters for their backing during his time in charge.
Thank you for the services…FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa seems to be telling Walid Regragui.
The federation believes the new technical direction will help sustain Morocco’s upward trajectory and maintain the momentum generated in recent years as the country prepares for major continental and global competitions leading up to 2030.
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