Former Nigeria striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni identify Super Eagles weaknesses amid struggles

Former Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has identified the weaknesses in the Super Eagles team amid 2026 World Cup qualification struggles.

The West African football heavyweights are on the brink of missing out on the biggest soccer mundial for the second time in a row following an unimpressive performances in the qualification series.

With two games to end the qualifiers, the three-time AFCON champions found themselves in the third position with eleven points, six points adrift of log leaders South Africa, who could also drop points after FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings over the eligibility of midfielder Teboho Mokoena.

Nigeria will have to win the two remaining games and wait for the outcome of other matches in Group C to determine their chances of securing a spot at the mundial.

However, the former Everton attacker in an interview attributed Nigeria’s struggles to lack of creative midfielders in the team.

“When we look at the team, we have too many defensive midfielders. We don’t have a creative midfielder.

If I play in this team, I’ll struggle to score goals. I’m telling you because when you look at Osimhen when he plays, he’s fighting because he knows already.

“We don’t have a midfielder who can pass the ball. We always pass the ball sideways. We cannot string six passes or seven passes. When we pass the ball a bit, then we kick it long. We cannot build a team like this.” he told OgaNlaMedia.

Nigeria will return to action in October for the final round of the qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.