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Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka opened up on the profound pain gripping the Super Eagles squad after Nigeria crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The team suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the playoff final on November 16, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco.
Onyeka scored Nigeria’s only goal in the third minute with a deflected strike that ignited early hope. DR Congo equalized before halftime, and the match ended 1-1 after extra time. The Leopards then triumphed 4-3 on penalties as Nigeria missed crucial spot-kicks.
The midfielder admitted the players feel the nation’s anguish deeply. He told reporters that Nigerians deserve to express their frustration.
“We, the players, are hurting just as much as Nigerians are hurting,” Onyeka declared. “Nigerians have every right to be very upset with us.
It’s extremely tough missing out on the next FIFA World Cup. Some of us may not even be here in five years in 2030, that’s the part that hurts even more.
But we have an AFCON to play in 34 days, and we must turn our pain into motivation.
We have to prepare well and deliver a better performance than we did last time.”
This loss marks Nigeria’s second consecutive World Cup absence after missing Qatar 2022. The expanded 2026 tournament offered extra African slots, heightening the disappointment.
