‘This is what destroyed the Super Eagles in 2002’ - Oliseh slams NFF for blaming Ekong and Dessers

Nigeria’s chances of making it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup have hit a roadblock following the 1-1 draw against South Africa.

Ekong scored an own goal to put the host ahead, but Calvin Bassey’s header gave the Super Eagles the equaliser in the game.

After the game, the NFF released a statement with their official X account blaming Ekong for the team's failure in South Africa.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Oliseh accused both the federation and the players of failing to support their teammates in the face of criticism.

"Football is a team sport. From that alone, you already know why this Super Eagles is not performing," Oliseh stated.

"Your captain scored an own goal while trying to defend. It's not as if he took the ball with his hands and put it in the net. He was trying to defend and scored an own goal," Oliseh said.

"Dessers, who was one of the instrumental players that helped us win just three days before, is now being criticised after you lost a game."

Oliseh also faulted the silence of the other Super Eagles players, insisting they should have publicly defended their teammates.

"They are shifting the blame away from the management and putting it on the players. They attack these players, and none of the Super Eagles players have said anything," he argued. "It's as if they deserve the criticism because they are not standing together as a team. They are not backing their leaders. This is what destroyed the Super Eagles in 2002."

The 1994 AFCON winner referred to past failures, recalling how internal disunity cost Nigeria a spot at the 2006 World Cup.

"Have we all forgotten that when they did this in 2002, the punishment we got was that we didn't qualify in 2006?" Oliseh questioned. 

"It became the first time in almost 20 years that Nigeria did not qualify for the World Cup. And that's when the national team started to decline."

Following the draw, the Super Eagles are now at risk of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.