Legendary Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o has openly criticized the management of Nigerian football, saying that failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup should serve as a wake-up call for urgent reform.
Speaking in a recent interview, Eto’o said Nigeria’s football problems are not with the players but with a “smelling and bad system” that has crippled the game for years.
“If at the end Nigeria didn’t qualify for the World Cup 2026, then it’s a call for reformation, overhauling their bad system. If I must be honest with you, there is a smelling and bad system in Nigeria football for years. We are all aware. It’s never the fault of the players; they are doing well outside in their different clubs,” Eto’o said.
The former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward highlighted Nigeria’s pedigree, noting that the current African Best Player, Victor Osimhen, and past winners have all come from Nigeria—a testament to the country’s rich football talent.
Eto’o also accused referees of bias against Nigeria, citing the recent incident where Osimhen was fouled without the opponent being punished.
“No ref would boldly ignore punishing a player who intentionally injured an international player like Osimhen. No card was issued, nothing at all,” he lamented.
The Cameroonian legend criticized the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for appointing politicians instead of experienced ex-footballers to leadership positions. According to him, Nigeria has great former players who should be running football affairs.
Looking ahead to the forthcoming NFF elections, Eto’o threw his weight behind Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, urging Nigerian fans to rally around the former Super Eagles captain.
“Since the country is on the verge of electing new NFF leadership, I’m urging Nigeria football fans to rally round for Jay-Jay Okocha to emerge victorious. Then we can work with him,” Eto’o said.
Despite his criticism, Eto’o expressed deep affection for Nigeria and its people, describing the country as one of the most hospitable in Africa.
“Personally, I love Nigeria, and our friendship has been top notch. I enjoyed a lot of praises from Nigerian fans. I’m not blind—we know countries that recognize greatness, and Nigeria happens to be number one,” he added.
Eto’o concluded by calling on other African nations to emulate Nigerians’ warmth and hospitality while wishing all African players success in the World Cup qualifiers.
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