“We did everything we could” – Calvin Bassey insists after Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup heartbreak

Calvin Bassey has expressed his disappointment following Nigeria’s painful exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, insisting that the Super Eagles gave their all but fell short in the African playoffs.

Nigeria suffered a 4-3 penalty defeat to DR Congo on Sunday, a result that denied them a place in the Inter-confederations playoffs.

The match, played in Morocco, saw the Central Africans claim the continent’s final route to the World Cup qualifiers, leaving the three-time African champions stunned after a challenging campaign.

Bassey, who impressed with his determination and defensive leadership, was unfortunately among the three Nigerian players who missed their spot-kicks in the decisive shoot-out. He sent his effort over the crossbar before Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi also failed to convert, sealing Nigeria’s elimination.

Despite the heartbreak, Bassey maintained that the team fought with everything they had but simply came up short.

He encouraged the squad to use the disappointment as fuel for their AFCON campaign next month, stressing that dwelling on the loss would not help their preparations.

“We did everything we could. We’ve got to keep our heads held high… we go again at AFCON,” Bassey said.

Nigeria, champions in 2013 and finalists in 2024, now turn their attention to reclaiming continental glory.

The Super Eagles will head into the tournament seeking their fourth AFCON title and aiming to end a decade-long wait for the trophy after falling agonisingly short in the last edition.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to kick off in Morocco on December 21.