Saintfiet
Belgian football coach, Tom Saintfiet has said it will be a big disappointment if Nigeria with all the quality players in their national team, the Super Eagles fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled to hold in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Saintfiet who replaced Eric Chelle as coach of the Malian national team said that though South Africa, Nigeria’s group mates have a good team and a good coach, the Super Eagles, who he believes are “strongest team in Africa” have quality players and therefore must raise their game to qualify from their group.
Speaking with AY Suga Naija Lifestyle, the Belgian said, “It will be sad if the strongest team in Africa doesn’t qualify. The Super Eagles are currently, not only now but for the last three or four years, the best team in Africa.
It will be a big disappointment, a big shock, if Nigeria doesn’t qualify with this potential, with these quality players”.
Saintfiet who once handled the Gambian national team added that, “With all respect for the opponents, South Africa have a very good coach and a good team, but Nigeria have so much quality, so they have to do everything. They have to catch up on the points they lost. In that group, I think they will qualify.”
The Super Eagles who have just three points from four matches and occupies the fifth position in the group behind Rwanda, South Africa, Benin Republic and Lesotho have the first encounter of the must-win six matches against Rwanda in kigali on friday.
