Former Nigeria defender, Ben Iroha, has challenged the senior national team, Super Eagles, to use Friday’s and next Tuesday’s international friendly matches against Iran and Jordan to show Nigerians what the West African nation’s football faithful will be missing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in Mexico, USA and Canada, Completesports.com reports.
Super Eagles Set For Iran, Jordan Clashes In Turkey
The Super Eagles will face Iran in the first of two friendly matches in Turkey, with the game billed to hold at the Antalya Stadium, a 29,307-capacity venue, at 2pm Nigeria time (4pm Turkish time).
Jordan Friendly Awaits Super Eagles Next
On Tuesday, March 31, the Super Eagles will take on Jordan in another international friendly at the same stadium.
Super Eagles Friendlies Stir World Cup Regret — Iroha
Iroha, a member of Nigeria’s squad to their first FIFA World Cup appearance in the USA in 1994 and a 1994 AFCON title winner in Tunisia, told Completesports.com from his base in Texas, USA, that Nigerians are still brooding over the team’s absence from the 2026 World Cup.
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He noted that the Super Eagles can only compensate fans with strong performances in the two friendlies, reflecting what would have been expected at the Mundial.
“It’s a friendly game, but I must say that matches involving the Super Eagles are always seen beyond the prism of friendly games,” Iroha said.
“Nigerians are too passionate about Super Eagles matches, whether friendly or competitive. It brightens the global football landscape because of our array of stars playing across the world. Everyone — Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike — wants to watch the team play. And these two games against Iran and Jordan are no different.
“I’ve seen the list of players already in camp for the two matches. How I wish the team would be at the World Cup. Somehow, these games would have given us insight into what to expect from them at the tournament.
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“But the sad reality is that these games will only remind us of what we would be missing at the World Cup finals with our absence from the tournament,” the 56-year-old concluded.
Nigeria’s World Cup Absence Still Painful For Fans
Nigeria has featured in six FIFA World Cup finals — 1994 (USA), 1998 (France), 2002 (Korea/Japan), 2010 (South Africa) and 2018 (Russia).
Ironically, a 3-4 penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the play-off on 16 November in Morocco, after a 1-1 draw in regulation time, dashed Nigeria’s hopes of a seventh FIFA World Cup qualification.
Just last week, FIFA dismissed Nigeria’s protest against DR Congo for allegedly fielding ineligible players in the play-offs.
By Sab Osuji
