2026 World Cup: Mistake Nigeria Made in Qualifiers Compared to Bafana Bafana

Nigeria and South Africa rekindle their rivalry in football in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying phase as both nations were placed in Group C.
Bafana Bafana ended up securing automatic qualification to the competition, with the Super Eagles settling for the playoffs after finishing one point behind Hugo Broos' side.
A football analyst has explained the differences between Nigeria and South Africa, stating the mistakes the Super Eagles made during the qualifiers.

Nigeria's mistake compared to Bafana

"South Africa went for a very experienced coach in Hugo Broos, and that's why he's maximising the talents they have. Also, the South African Football Association makes sure that they prioritise qualifying for the World Cup, which Nigeria did not do. It is impossible to say we prioritise qualifying for the World Cup and then have three different coaches handle our team during the qualifiers," he said.

"Jose Peseiro took the first two games, Finidi George the next two games, and in all of these, there was much uncertainty surrounding who would handle the team. They even went without a coach for a while. That's so much uncertainty and unseriousness for a team that wants to qualify for the biggest football event concerning national teams."

Akpan stated the approach Nigeria should've taken before the World Cup qualifiers began.
"If we were serious about qualifying for the World Cup, we would have sorted it and thought about it while appointing a coach, knowing that, oh, let's pick a proper calendar to bring in a new one so that he can handle our national team qualification for the World Cup," he added.
"So we didn't prioritize it; we just did our normal 'vibes and Insha Allah,' unlike South Africa."

Source: Briefly News