Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has criticised the tactical approach of the Nigerian national team, attributing its recent struggles in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers to midfield imbalance and a lack of collective play.
Nigeria’s qualifying campaign has been marked by poor results, including draws against Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa. With two matches left to play, the Super Eagles sit third in Group C with 11 points, behind South Africa on 17 points and Benin Republic on 14 points.
Speaking on the Sunday Oliseh podcast, Aiyegbeni said the current system forces strikers to work in isolation due to limited creativity from midfield.
“When we look at the team, we have too many defensive midfielders and not many attacking midfielders,” he said.
Aiyegbeni, who scored 21 goals in 58 appearances for Nigeria, noted that the over-reliance on forwards such as Victor Osimhen to create and finish chances reflects the team’s tactical weakness.
“If I play in this team, I will struggle to score goals because when I look at Osimhen when he plays, he is fighting because he knows already when he sees the goals he scores, and he has to hustle by himself,” he explained.
The former Everton forward also criticised the team’s overall playing style, which he described as dependent on individual skill rather than coordinated teamwork.
“We don’t play like a team, it’s individual football we play, and we want the players to make magic,” he added.
Aiyegbeni, who remains Nigeria’s fourth-highest international goalscorer, said the national team must embrace a more balanced and creative midfield strategy if it is to compete effectively on the global stage. (edited)
