World Cup 2022: Disappointed Nigerians Vow Not To Support Ghana, Predict Early Exit For Black Stars

World Cup 2022: Disappointed Nigerians Vow Not To Support Ghana, Predict Early Exit For Black Stars

Ibraheem Lateef Ayodele

Super Eagles fans have vowed not to support the Black Stars of Ghana following the massive disappointment of missing out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar which kicked off at the weekend, BSNSports.com.ng reports. 

The Super Eagles were denied the chance to represent the African continent by their eternal Black Stars rivals.

GhanaSoccernet gathered that the pain of missing out on the Mundial has sparked widespread talk on social media with many Nigerian fans predicting a group exit for the four-time African champions.

Nigerians are still bruising from missing the global tournament after they lost the slot to Ghana on the away goal rule.

Fans of the Super Eagles have been far from removed from the countdown to the biggest football event in the world.

The fans of the Super Eagles have added colour, fanfare and drama with their talking drums, trumpets and costumes at six previous World Cups their darling team has featured.

In March, perennial rivals Ghana eliminated Nigeria in a final World Cup playoffs on the away goals rule after both teams recorded a goalless draw in Kumasi before a 1-1 draw in Abuja.

“It’s now a reality, a bad dream, that we will not be at the World Cup,” lamented Segun Olayinka, a fan based in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos.

“Our best players like Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi have been doing great at their clubs in Europe, but now they can only watch the World Cup on television, just like me.

“From what I have seen on television and the internet this will be a great World Cup, a spectacle, going by how far and how well Qatar has gone to make it so.”

Journalist Ayo Owolabi said he is pained that Nigeria will not be represented the first time an Arab country will stage the World Cup.

“Qatar made history as the first Arab nation to host the World Cup and sadly the Super Eagles will not be there,” he lamented.

“I believe they will great host despite some of the apprehension being expressed by some people.

“They have already gone out of their way to make it one World Cup to remember with the wonderful stadiums they have built and the technology they have employed.”

Recall former coach Gernot Rohr has blamed his sacking for the team's failure to qualify.

“(Amaju) Pinnick (then president of the Nigeria Football Federation) said my dismissal will avert a disaster, but in the end, he created the disaster that cost Nigeria the ticket to the World Cup,” Rohr said.

“I regret that I did not take my team to win the World Cup, I regret my players will not be at the World Cup even though they deserve to be there.

“It was not my decision, it was a decision by Pinnick and his board.

“He was punished for this as Nigeria lost the chance to win the Africa Cup of Nations and did not qualify for the World Cup.”

“We’re a big football nation and the players are all disappointed they will not be going to the World Cup,” said team spokesman Baba Femi Raji.

“We now have to look ahead.”