Some Super Eagles Players Might Not Be Around In 5 Years – Frank Onyeka Laments

Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka says the players are carrying the same heartbreak Nigerians felt after the team’s failure to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The defeat to DR Congo in Sunday’s playoff final has left emotions raw on both sides, and the Brentford star admits the disappointment is weighing heavily on the squad.

British-Nigerian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana caught up with Onyeka at Casablanca Airport, where the midfielder spoke openly about how the players have been coping since the loss.

“We, the players, are hurting, just as much as Nigerians are hurting. Nigerians have every right to be very upset with us,” he said.

Onyeka noted that many in the team know this was a rare shot at the global stage, and the reality that some might not get another chance makes the defeat even harder to process.

He said, “It is very tough not to go to the next FIFA World Cup. Some of us may not be around in five years, in 2030.

“It’s painful. But we have an AFCON to play in 34 days and we need to get ready for that and do better than we did last time.”

Naija News reports that Nigeria recorded a 1-1 draw after regulation time, before being dragged into another exhausting 120-minute battle. It was the second time in three days that the team had gone the full distance. The match eventually went to penalties.

Despite having some of the team’s most reliable penalty takers on the bench, including first-choice taker William Troost-Ekong, Nigeria missed three spot kicks.

DR Congo approached the shootout with more urgency and even replaced their starting goalkeeper before the decider. Their composure paid off, converting four penalties to seal a 4-3 victory.