Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen believes that the Nigeria national team must qualify for the 2026 World Cup after missing out on Qatar 2022.The Super Eagles missed the previous World Cup by the narrowest of margins, losing out on a place to Ghana on away goals after a 1-1 draw over two legs of the final round of CAF qualification. That was only the second time they missed out on WC since making their debut at the tournament in 1994.He’ll want to forget 2024Talking to BBC Sport recently, the Galatasaray forward said that the current Nigeria squad can only consider themselves a ‘talented generation’ if they qualify for the WC. “There’s a new manager now and we are desperately looking forward to the game against Rwanda to try to correct all the previous mistakes we’ve made and put ourselves in a better position to qualify,” Osimhen told BBC Sport. The Super Eagles will play away against Rwanda and then at home to Zimbabwe in World Cup qualification during the upcoming March international break.Airport drama ends in Super Eagles’ 3-0 win far from the pitch”People say we have a talented generation but we can only confirm this talent when we play in a World Cup like those before us,” Osimhen added.”I was sad, like my teammates, to miss out on Qatar and our fans didn’t even understand how much it affected us.”This is why we must correct the previous mistakes by giving everything to our country, our new coach and prove ourselves as being worthy.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8773615##The Super Eagles are the highest-ranked team in their qualifying group, but currently sit in fifth place out of six.”Names no longer win matches and you must be ready and switched on for the duration of the games. We will be playing for our country, our family names and the hopes of almost 300 million people. It is not the pressure that we face but the desire to not let ourselves and the country down. Playing at the World Cup is a priority and we must make it happen this time around.”
