‘I was betrayed’ — Super Eagles legend Sunday Oliseh reveals why he missed 2002 World Cup

Super Eagles legend Sunday Oliseh has finally lifted the lid on one of the most puzzling exclusions in Nigerian football history.

The former Super Eagles captain and head coach revealed that betrayal and backstabbing, not performance, kept him out of the 2002 World Cup squad.

When Nigeria named their squad for the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, many fans were shocked to see Oliseh missing from the list.

At the time, he was not only one of the team’s most prominent midfielders but also its captain and leader.

Speaking on his podcast, the ex-Juventus and Borussia Dortmund star revealed the truth saying, “I suffered betrayal and backstabbing in 2002 when I was the captain of the team. I didn’t go to the World Cup, not because of something I did, but because I was fighting for other people.”

According to Oliseh, his insistence that teammates receive the payments owed to them created enemies within the camp.

His advocacy sparked a ganging-up against him, leading to his controversial omission from the tournament.

Oliseh further added that his removal had nothing to do with misconduct or poor form, but with his stand for fairness.

“I was not a bad one, I was not a bad one. It was trying to make sure that all my colleagues, as a captain, got paid their dues,” he explained. Yet, instead of gratitude, he claims he faced betrayal from some of the very teammates he fought for.

Despite the painful experience, Oliseh said he left the matter to God, adding that he has lived to see how life turned out for those who wronged him.

Today, his revelation offers fans new insight into the politics and challenges that shaped Nigerian football’s golden era.