‘Tactically, we are one or two steps behind’ - Chuks Akuneto claims Nigeria are not far from other top teams

The British-Nigerian coach expressed his admiration for the continent's representatives, nine of whom advanced from the group stage. 

Tunisia was the sole African team eliminated early, while South Africa later exited in the Round of 32 after a defeat to Canada at the Los Angeles Stadium.

Akuneto praised the African teams at the current tournament, highlighting their potential to progress even further.

Using top-tier European teams like France as a benchmark, Akuneto noted that the performance gap between them and their African counterparts has been steadily closing.

"In 1994, Nigeria was two minutes away from reaching the quarter-finals, and in 2022, Morocco also came very close to the final," the former FC United assistant manager told Complete Sports. 

"We have never lacked talent. What we have lacked is decisiveness, proper planning and effective preparation for major tournaments."

"I’m impressed with what the African teams are doing at the World Cup 2026," he stated. "They have clearly shown they are worthy ambassadors of the continent and that they can go even further in the competition."

Despite the progress, the UEFA A-licensed coach identified key areas for improvement, particularly in strategy and tactics.

"Tactically, I think we are one or two steps behind the world leaders such as France and Spain," Akuneto explained. 

"But I believe that, just as Morocco did in 2022, Africa can continue to grow and go beyond where Morocco stopped the last time."

For Nigeria, the road to the 2030 FIFA World Cup will commence following the conclusion of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.