That is what's missing - South African pundit reveals Super Eagles' weakness after Zimbabwe draw

Nigeria is on the brink of losing out on the 2026 World Cup after failing to defeat Zimbabwe, playing a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.

In the recent World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, Nigeria's new manager, Eric Chelle, opted for a 4-4-2 formation.

The 4-4-2 formation resulted in Alex Iwobi taking on defensive responsibilities, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon playing as wide midfielders, and only Wilfred Ndidi maintaining his usual role.

Mzamane observed that the Super Eagles lack a natural playmaker in midfield, similar to Austin Okocha or John Obi Mikel. 

He believes that Wilfred Ndidi, despite his quality, has a defensive-minded approach. This leaves the Super Eagles without a true playmaker in the midfield.

Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, he said, "They do struggle in the midfield. Alex Iwobi is playing in a makeshift role, he's not a natural central midfielder.

"A creative influence in the middle of the park has really been missing. Obviously Ndidi is quality but he's a more defensive player.

“That Jay-Jay Okocha-esque player or even an Obi Mikel has been missing for quite some time in Nigeria. That player, that key component might be what's missing personally," he concluded.

The three-time African champions have only one win from six matches in Group C of the qualifiers, with seven points.

They are currently fourth in the standings and will travel to face the tabletoppers in South Africa in September 2025. Four matches remain in the group stage.