Abbey George sat in his room, the weight of a missed dream heavy on his shoulders. The former Super Eagles defender, a key figure in Nigeria’s 2004 AFCON bronze-winning squad, still remembers the pain of failing to qualify for a World Cup.

“My kids ask me if I ever played at the World Cup, and I say no,” he told Brila Media. “I cried in my room when we failed in Kano. It would be a big shame if these players never play at the World Cup. They’re at the peak of their powers.”

Now, Nigeria stands at a crossroads once again. The Super Eagles’ campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been anything but inspiring. Sitting in fifth place in Group C with just four points from four matches, they trail Rwanda—the surprise group leaders.

Draws against Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, followed by a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Benin, have left Nigeria’s qualification hopes hanging by a thread. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

With two crucial matches on the horizon, newly appointed head coach Eric Chelle has named a 39-man provisional squad, hoping to find the right formula to reignite the campaign. The Super Eagles must first travel to Kigali to face Rwanda before hosting Zimbabwe in Uyo.

The pressure is immense. Another failed qualification would not only be a disaster for Nigerian football but a stain on the legacy of a golden generation. Abbey’s words serve as both a warning and a plea: Rise to the occasion, or face the shame of missing another World Cup.