Super Eagles Need Stiffer Regulations To Qualify For 2026 World Cup - Ex-Eagles Star

Super Eagles Need Stiffer Regulations To Qualify For 2026 World Cup - Ex-Eagles Star

By Niyi Busari

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi has said that the Nigeria senior national team need regulation to force some players to be serious when invited for their father land, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Onazi in an exclusive interview with www.bsnsports.com.ng made this known at the MKO Abiola Stadium on Wednesday night after playing in a novelty match for the Chairman National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko.

He questioned players commitment to the national and advised that some regulations be put in place to force them to be more serious and focused ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

He said, "When you play for national team, it's a pride. It's just that some players take it as if you're forcing them to play but this is something you suppose to be proud of. If you're invited to the national team one suppose to throw a party that you're among the best to represent your country. But now it's the other way round, some players even skip some matches

" Whenever I was invited to the national team, I made sure that a week before that game, I stayed off injury. It's a privilege being among the biggest players in the world. This is what they're missing now. Everyone is a player they don't know who is bigger among them. If you have players bigger than you, you respect yourself. But now, this player can't talk to the other one and another can't speak to other player. How do we move forward?

"That's what I said Super Eagles need some regulations. Invitation to the national team is not all about who's doing so well in his club but who can contribute positively to the national team

"I am not God to give you confidence and not the coach. But all I can tell you is that we have an amazing team. A world class team. We just need to out ourselves in order and out the interest of Nigeria first. With determination we can still make it if all of them work hard.

Nigeria's Super Eagles are on the verge of missing out of the World Cup back to back. With three points in four matches, the three times African champions are placed fifth while Rwanda, South Africa and Benin Republic are joint-leaders with seven points apiece, Lesotho are fourth with five points.