February 16, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s World Cup qualification is non-negotiable, according to Amaju Pinnick, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Next month, the Super Eagles will face their West African rivals, the Black Stars of Ghana, in a two-legged World Cup playoffs contest for a spot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
More than most, Pinnick appreciates the tragic consequences of missing out on the world’s biggest sporting event, and has stated that qualifying for the global showpiece in November is critical for the three-time African champions.
The president demonstrated this understanding in a series of tweets he fired after meeting with some Super Eagles players, notably the newly-embraced member of the senior men’s squad Ademola Lookman and Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis.
Pinnick’s threaded tweets read: Good evening, Nigeria. In furtherance to my tweets regarding our plans to ensure we qualify for this year’s @FIFAWorldCup in Qatar, we’ve held a series of meetings in London with our Super Eagles players.
He provided some details of the composition of the meeting in terms of personnel: “It was me, the team secretary, the coach & technical adviser of the team.”
Then, he continued: “The Ministry of Youth & Sports Development, led by the Honourable Minister, @SundayDareSD also had a zoom meeting with over 30 players of the Super Eagles squad. Aside the chance to introduce the new members of the coaching crew to the team, it was also a chance to have “clear the air” talks.
“And I’m so proud of the committment and zeal I’m seeing and getting from the team. From players like Etebo, Kelechi, Troost & new lad, Lookman, the message was & is clear; we will play at the World Cup and give a good account of ourselves.
“We are not going to Qatar to make up the numbers. We are going to give it our best shot. I’d like to, again, thank the Honourable Minister, @SundayDareSD. It might sound like a broken record at this point, but his support is truly massive. From ensuring we get the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja, to joining in the zoom call with over 30 members of the National Team, his energy is truly infectious.
“Again. Make no mistake. World Cup qualification is non-negotiable. We are putting all of our efforts on getting the ticket.”
As THEWILL reported, the Super Eagles will face the Black Stars in the first leg on March 23 in Accra, before hosting their West African counterparts for the second leg six days later at the MKO Abiola Stadium.
The victor of the two matches will represent Africa alongside four other countries from the continent at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
