AFCON 2025: I gave up on Super Eagles after World Cup exit - Odegbami

AFCON 2025: I gave up on Super Eagles after World Cup exit - Odegbami

Nigerian football legend, Segun Odegbami said he has not followed the preparation of the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the team's exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs.

Speaking on Inspiration FM in Uyo, the former Green Eagles winger said the failure of the team to qualify for the World Cup next year is still hurting millions of football loving Nigerians and has greatly affected the interest for the team ahead of the AFCON.

"I am not following their preparation for AFCON, since our exit from the World Cup qualifiers, the reality is that some of us gave up because football is our business and qualifying for the World Cup is the peak of our business," Odegbami said.

"I don't think we truly deserved a place at the World Cup, because we didn't work hard enough, we were not just good enough, so I'm not following what's happening before the AFCON, I'm not going for the AFCON and that's the reality."

The 2025 AFCON kicks-off on Monday December 21 and the Super Eagles will fly to Fés on Thursday aboard a chartered flight for their Group C encounters against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

Odegbami, who was part of Nigeria’s maiden AFCON triumph in 1980 and represented the country at the 1976 Olympics, was the guest of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno and delivered a pep talk to athletes on the topic "Sports and I" during the presentation of cash awards to winners of the 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival and the 2025 National Youth Games in Asaba.