Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has launched a scathing critique of the Nigerian national team, blaming tactical deficiencies and lack of cohesion for their faltering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Nigeria’s bid to reach the tournament has been marred by disappointing results, including draws against Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa. With just two matches remaining, the Super Eagles sit third in Group C on 11 points — behind South Africa (17 points) and Benin Republic (14 points).
Speaking on the Sunday Oliseh Podcast, the former Everton star highlighted what he called the team’s glaring imbalance in midfield and its over-reliance on moments of individual brilliance.
“When we look at the team, we have too many defensive midfielders and not many attacking midfielders,” Yakubu said. “If I play in this team, I will struggle to score goals because when I look at Osimhen, he is fighting. He knows already that when he scores, it’s because he hustled by himself.”
Yakubu, who scored 21 goals in 58 appearances for Nigeria, stressed that the absence of creativity in midfield is piling unnecessary pressure on Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and other forwards.
He further criticised the team’s style of play, describing it as disjointed and overly dependent on individual moments.
“We don’t play like a team. It’s individual football we play, and we want the players to make magic,” he added.
Despite his criticism, Yakubu — Nigeria’s fourth-highest goalscorer of all time — said he hopes the Super Eagles can rediscover balance and adopt a more collective, creative approach to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup.
