Former Nigerian international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has disclosed that he has no regrets representing the Super Eagles despite always being remembered for his infamous goal missed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Recall that Aiyegbeni missed a tap-in during a World Cup game between Nigeria and South Korea.
The miss came when Nigeria was trailing the Koreans 2-1 in their final Group A match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, South Africa.
The ‘Yak’ would later score from the penalty spot, but Super Eagles fans were, at the time, unable to move past the unbelievable miss.
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However, in an interview with Flashscore, the former Everton striker stated that Nigerians should always remember how his goals qualified the team for the 2002 World Cup that was cohosted by South Korea and Japan.
“Me, regret playing for Nigeria? No chance. It is an honour for me playing for Nigeria, every player wants to play for his country. I was born in Nigeria, grew up in Benin, Edo state Nigeria. It is an honour to wear Nigeria’s green and white jersey of Nigeria,” Yakubu told Flashscore in a no-holds-barred interview.
“Being at the World Cup in South Africa is (another) great (opportunity) representing my country. We should all forget the miss and remember the good ones. It is funny when people still talk about it – it is almost 14 years already – and people still talk about the miss and not the good ones.
“They did (not talk) about when I qualified Nigeria for the World Cup in South Korea and Japan but was dropped; they never spoke about that. I still had the courage to take the penalty after 10 minutes and people still send me message about it missing that goal.
“I don’t think we would still win the 2010 World Cup. We have been to other World Cups plus the ones we did not qualify for but people never talked about it.
“We all watch Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, they all miss chances, but people still talk about my own miss – I think people just love me for that.”
3 Comments
2002 , 2006 , 2010 . How Nigeria don’t qualify for 2006 . How players that shud have stopped their eagles duty got transported into 2010 squad.
How guys in dream team to 2008 Olympics football silver winner could not make 2010 eagles squard. And the Ghanians team that was dumped out by the dream team from Olympic qualifying stage went far in even trying to qualify for the 2010 world cup shows how players are misused by Nigeria sport ministry and nfa den .
Instead we started hearing . Anyway.we knew wat happened in Kenya den . 3 2 score and the Mozambique game wen spectators were already leaving the field. It is a goal header from a guy after a hot shot from weapon of max destruction. And at the main stage guys that shud not be in team , that supposed to have retired in 2006 are d ones relied on to go win wcup ..
Til today eagles list still has dis element of players that shud retiring.
I was angry that day but I moved on even though I was right there when that happened. But you have done so much for the Super Eagles. You are a fantastic good player and a great goalscorer and what happened that hours were beyond human comprehension. And I didn’t dislike you for that. You’re a good person too.
I won’t forget that miss and that faithful day 14 years ago in South Africa. I won’t forget the commentator’s cry of anguish that day.”It’s much easier for him to score than to miss but he missed that” I fear.