Former Nigeria national team coach Johannes Bonfrère has exclusively told Completesports.com of his disappointment over the Super Eagles’ failure to win Tuesday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Warriors of Zimbabwe in Uyo.. Bonfrère, who assisted fellow Dutchman Clemens Westerhof in guiding the Super Eagles to their 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification and an AFCON triumph in Tunisia, spoke from his home in the Netherlands on Wednesday morning.. Also Read: 2026 WCQ: Super Eagles’ Impatience, Poor Game Management Cost Win Against Zimbabwe —Akuneto. The former Nigeria U23 coach, who led the Dream Team to a historic gold medal feat at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics after a 3-2 victory over Argentina in the final, believes the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe has put Nigeria’s World Cup qualification in serious jeopardy.. “How do you expect to qualify for the World Cup if you don’t win games?” Bonfrère queried rhetorically.. “In the past, if we didn’t beat Zimbabwe 3-0 or 4-0, the fans would throw stones at us.. “With the huge number of Super Eagles players in top European leagues, a 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe is unacceptable. I don’t see how they can qualify for the World Cup, except maybe through the play-offs.. “If that happens, good. But it’s embarrassing that the Super Eagles are struggling against teams they should be beating convincingly.”. When asked what went wrong in the game, Bonfrère criticised the team’s lack of cutting edge in attack and questioned the tactics employed.. Also Read: 2026 WCQ: I’m Disappointed For My Players, Nigerians –Chelle. “I didn’t watch the game, but did the coach not have enough information on Zimbabwe? Did he use the wrong tactics? Or did the players fail to execute the game plan?. “Was it a loss of concentration? Why couldn’t the attackers score more goals? If they had put away two or three chances, Zimbabwe’s late goal wouldn’t have mattered as much.. “It’s sad, painful, and unfortunate. Small teams are now looking the Super Eagles in the eye and asking, ‘What can you do?’ No team fears them anymore, and that is worrying,” Bonfrère lamented.. By Sab Osuji
