Voodoo is not the reason Nigeria lost - Former Super Eagles star blasts Eric Chelle

Former Nigerian international Ifeanyi Udeze has rejected claims made by Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle that DR Congo used voodoo during their decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff.

Nigeria's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were dashed after a penalty shootout loss to DR Congo.

The match ended 1-1 after regulation and extra time, with the Congolese team securing a 4-3 victory on penalties.

The match was followed by a heated exchange on the touchline, with Chelle appearing visibly angry as the two benches clashed after Chancel Mbemba scored the winning penalty.

Chelle later explained his anger, telling ESPN Africa that he saw a DR Congo official performing suspicious actions.

Chelle said, "During the penalty session, a guy from Congo did some voodoo. Every time. So, this is why I was a little bit nervous."

When asked for details, the Malian coach gestured with his hands and added, "Something like, I don’t know if it’s water or something like that."

However, Udeze dismissed these allegations, insisting that DR Congo won on merit.

"Voodoo is not the reason the Super Eagles lost. DR Congo deserved to win because they showed character; they showed that they want to go to the World Cup," Udeze stated on Brila FM.

The 2002 World Cup veteran also criticised the Nigerian players for their performance in the crucial match.

"We always blame the NFF for everything, but this time the players should take the blame," he said.

He added, "The NFF, NSC, and even the federal government did everything to make sure the World Cup ticket was secured, but the players let everyone down. For me, I will call out the players because they didn’t show up."