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
World Cup
Nigeria and Other Top-Ranked Teams Missing At 2026 World Cup Raise Questions Over Global Football Balance
By Kunle Solaja.
Despite the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams, several high-profile nations—including some ranked within the top 30 globally—will not feature at the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, underlining the increasingly unforgiving nature of modern qualification.
The most striking absence is the four-time world champions Italy national football team, who failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup after losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs.
Once a permanent fixture at the global showpiece, Italy’s continued absence has triggered widespread criticism at home, with many describing the situation as a national sporting crisis.
Europe’s Big Casualties
Italy are not alone among Europe’s elite in missing out. Countries such as Denmark’s national football team, Poland’s national football team and Serbia’s national football team, all of whom have consistently hovered around the top tiers of FIFA rankings in recent years, also failed to make the cut.
Poland’s elimination is particularly significant, as it likely marks the end of World Cup ambitions for veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, while Denmark’s absence comes after years of steady progress on the international stage.
Serbia, boasting a generation of technically gifted players, were also among those eliminated during the qualification process.
African Heavyweights Left Out
Africa will send a record number of teams to the expanded tournament, yet notable absentees remain.
Three-time African champions Nigeria national football team and five-time AFCON winners Cameroon national football team both failed to qualify after disappointing campaigns.
Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions are among Africa’s big names missing at the World Cup.
Nigeria’s absence is particularly glaring given the quality of players such as Victor Osimhen, while Cameroon fell short despite a squad featuring several Europe-based stars.
South American Decline
In South America, the Chile national football team continue their dramatic fall from grace. Once Copa América champions, Chile finished bottom of the CONMEBOL qualifying table, extending their World Cup absence to three editions.
Emerging Pattern: Expansion Without Guarantees
The absence of these established football nations highlights a key reality: even with 48 slots, World Cup qualification remains fiercely competitive.
While debutants such as Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan have secured historic places at the finals, traditional powers have faltered under pressure.
Analysts note that this shift reflects a broader trend in global football—greater parity, improved development structures in smaller nations, and declining dominance of traditional heavyweights.
A World Cup Without Familiar Faces
The 2026 tournament will therefore present a unique landscape—one where emerging nations share the stage while several established powers watch from home.
For fans, it promises freshness and unpredictability. For the absent giants, however, it serves as a stark reminder that reputation alone is no longer enough to secure a place at football’s biggest event.
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By Kunle Solaja.
A remarkable storyline is emerging ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as no fewer than seven countries have secured returns to the global football showpiece after prolonged absences spanning decades.
Leading the list are Haiti and DR Congo, both of which are back on the World Cup stage after an astonishing 52-year absence. Haiti last featured at the tournament in 1974, the same year DR Congo, then known as Zaire, made their only previous appearance.
European sides Scotland national football team, Norway national football team and Austria national football team are also ending 28-year waits.
Scotland’s last outing came in 1998, while Norway and Austria have similarly endured long spells away from the competition despite periods of promise in European football.
South America will see the return of the Paraguay national football team, who are back after a 16-year hiatus, having last appeared at the 2010 finals in South Africa.
On the African continent, the South Africa national football team will make a long-awaited comeback after 16 years, their previous participation coming when they hosted the tournament in 2010.
The wave of returning nations highlights the expanding opportunities created by the enlarged 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup, which will be staged across Canada, the United States and Mexico.
For many of these countries, qualification marks not just a sporting achievement but a generational milestone, rekindling national pride and offering a new era of players the chance to perform on football’s biggest stage after decades in the wilderness.
With traditional powers and returning underdogs set to collide, the 2026 tournament is already shaping up to be one of the most diverse and unpredictable in World Cup history.
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Gennaro Gattuso’s reign as Italy manager ended on Friday, the country’s football federation (FIGC) said, after the national team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Italy lost Tuesday’s playoff final in Bosnia on penalties, and the four-time champions have now missed out on three consecutive World Cups.
Gattuso’s departure came a day after FIGC President Gabriele Gravina resigned, and national team delegation head Gianluigi Buffon stepped down from his role.
“With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my time in charge of the national team to be over,” Gattuso said in a statement.
“The Azzurri shirt is the most precious asset in football, which is why it is right to facilitate future technical assessments with immediate effect.
“It has been an honour to lead the national team, and to do so with a group of lads who have shown commitment and loyalty to the shirt.”
The FIGC thanked Gattuso for his work.
“The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Gennaro Ivan Gattuso have mutually terminated the contract that bound the Calabrian coach to the helm of the Italian national football team,” the FIGC said in a statement.
“The FIGC thanks Gattuso and his entire staff for the professionalism, dedication and passion with which they have worked over the past nine months and wishes them every success in their future careers.
GATTUSO APPOINTED ON ONE-YEAR CONTRACT
Gattuso was appointed in June on a one-year contract, replacing Luciano Spalletti who was sacked following Italy’s 3-0 defeat by Norway in their opening group game, although he remained in place for the 2-0 win over Moldova the next day.
Italy won their next five group games under Gattuso, but given Norway’s far superior goal difference, they were resigned to another World Cup playoff before the final group game, which Norway won 4-1 at the San Siro.
Italy had lost at the playoff stage of the last two World Cups, but looked on course to make it this time after a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the semi-final, before it all fell apart in Bosnia.
Gattuso’s 10-man team let slip a 1-0 lead and crumbled in the penalty shootout.
After the loss in Zenica, Gattuso said it was not the time to speak about his future, but once Gravina made his decision to step away, it was a matter of when Gattuso would follow.
WHO NEXT FOR ITALY?
Gattuso, 48, was a member of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad, but the country has failed to come anywhere close to replicating that success in the sport’s biggest tournament.
Italy won just one game over the next two editions, exiting at the group stage on both occasions. While there was a spark of recovery with their Euro 2020 triumph, their continued absence from the World Cup underlined their decline.
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri and Napoli manager Antonio Conte are names being mentioned as Gattuso’s successor.
Conte has managed Italy, taking charge in 2014 and leading them to Euro 2016 where his last game was a loss on penalties to Germany in the quarter-finals, having already announced he would leave after the tournament.
Italy’s next game is a friendly in Greece on June 7, and they begin their Nations League campaign in September when they host Belgium.
-Reuters
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