Victor Osimhen: Nigeria not qualifying for World Cup again would be unforgivable

The Super Eagles have struggled so far in Group C, securing only three draws in their first four matches, with Osimhen sidelined due to injury.

The 26-year-old striker described the setback three years ago as a "heartbreaking disappointment," when bitter rivals Ghana advanced through a play-off and made it to Qatar 2022 at Nigeria's expense.

"It's every footballer's dream to play at the World Cup, and given our current situation in the group, I am just as desperate as the other players to qualify for the 2026 tournament," Osimhen told BBC Sport Africa.

"We experienced a major setback in 2022, and we cannot let that happen again - not to us, not to the country, and certainly not to our generation.

"You don't want to look back on your career with the regret of never playing at a World Cup. That's not a feeling I want for myself."

Currently, Nigeria trails group leaders Rwanda by four points and will head to Kigali on March 21 to face the Wasps, before hosting bottom-ranked Zimbabwe four days later.

Eric Chelle, the new coach, needs immediate results in the six-team group as he becomes the third manager to take charge of the Super Eagles since the campaign began in November 2023.

Under Jose Peseiro, Nigeria managed two draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe. Peseiro's successor, Finidi George, left his post in June after a loss to Benin and a home draw with South Africa.

"There's a new coach now, and we are eager to face Rwanda in an attempt to fix the mistakes we've made previously and position ourselves better for qualification," Osimhen said.

The 2023 African Footballer of the Year, Osimhen has scored 23 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 appearances for Nigeria. He was "extremely disappointed" by his absence from the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

He stressed that with a squad brimming with top talent, including Atalanta's Ademola Lookman, Nantes' Moses Simon, and Premier League regulars Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, and Alex Iwobi, Nigeria must secure a spot for next year's global tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the USA.

Since making their World Cup debut in 1994, Nigeria has only missed two editions of the competition.

"People say we have a talented generation, but we can only prove that talent when we perform on the World Cup stage, just as previous teams did," Osimhen confessed.

"I felt the same sadness as my teammates when we missed out on Qatar, and our fans didn't fully understand how much it hurt us.

"That's why we need to rectify our past mistakes by giving everything for our country, for our new coach, and to prove that we truly deserve to be there."

Chelle's appointment in January generated mixed reactions after the 47-year-old Malian made history as the first non-Nigerian African to manage the Super Eagles.

Osimhen is eager to begin working with Chelle, who guided Mali to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and even led them to a rare victory over Nigeria last year.

"I've spoken with him a few times and have a clear understanding of his objectives for both himself and the players," the Galatasaray forward said.

"Winning matches requires more than just a coach; the players must give their best, show commitment, and remember that we all need to work together to reach our shared goal."

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