Bronze Isn’t Gold: Peseiro Reacts To Super Eagles AFCON Outcome

Bronze Isn’t Gold: Peseiro Reacts To Super Eagles AFCON Outcome

By Admin 

Former Nigeria national football team head coach José Peseiro has expressed disappointment over the team’s third-place finish at the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting his side’s runner-up achievement two years earlier remains a superior performance.

Peseiro guided Nigeria to the final of the 2023 tournament—their first appearance at that stage since 2013—where they narrowly lost 2–1 to hosts Ivory Coast national football team. The result marked the country’s best finish in over a decade.

At the most recent edition in Morocco, however, the Super Eagles—now under the leadership of Eric Chelle—secured a third-place finish. Despite falling short of the final, the team drew widespread praise for its attacking style and overall performances during the competition.

Speaking in Portugal, Peseiro maintained that expectations for Nigeria should always extend beyond a podium finish, given the country’s stature in African football. “Nigeria is a big football country in Africa, and every tournament comes with expectations,” he said.

“You are expected to reach the final of the AFCON, and we did that two years ago—our best finish in a long time. I see that the team finished third at the last tournament.”

While acknowledging the recent campaign, the Portuguese tactician suggested that reaching the final remains the benchmark for success for a nation of Nigeria’s pedigree.