‘The grief was going to be crazy’ – Nigerian-born star sets plan to block Ghanaian friends if Super Eagles missed World Cup

Nigeria kept their hopes alive with a crucial 4-0 win against Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. 

A hat trick from star player Victor Osimhen and a goal Frank Onyeka’s last goal sealed a spot in the playoffs for the Super Eagles.

The victory secured their spot in the next round as one of the best-placed runners-up, narrowly avoiding a disastrous early exit.

Speaking on ESPN, Onuoha revealed his relief and admitted he had braced for the worst, fearing the ridicule Nigeria would have faced.

"I can confirm that I didn't believe in it at all," Onuoha stated. "If anything, I was trying to block the numbers of my Ghanaian friends and other people from West Africa because the grief we were going to receive for not qualifying for a 48-team tournament was going to be crazy."

While relieved that the "story is not over," the ex-Premier League player expressed his frustration with the team's inconsistent campaign. 

He pointed out that a team of Nigeria's caliber, recent finalists at the Africa Cup of Nations, should not have struggled so much.

"I wish it didn't need to be this way," he continued. "For a team like Nigeria, who were in the final of the African Nations not too long ago, to end up drawing half of their games in the qualifying campaign against sides you expect them to beat... I think it is a huge disappointment."

The Super Eagles will enter a playoff series in November 2025, held in Morocco, where they will compete against teams like Cameroon, DR Congo, and Gabon. 

The winner of this mini-tournament will advance to an intercontinental playoff, which will decide Africa's final representative at the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.