World Cup 2026: Nigeria's Terem Moffi dissapointed as Super Eagles miss out

Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi has delivered a sobering assessment of Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, admitting that it is "almost impossible" for him and many of his teammates to ever play on football's biggest stage.

The 27-year-old forward, who has been a regular in Nigeria's attacking setup, opened up about the harsh reality facing the current generation of Super Eagles stars.

"I'm 27 now; in the next World Cup I'll be 31, and most of the squad will be in their 30s as well. It's almost impossible for us to be there if we're being totally honest," Moffi said.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after a heartbreaking playoff defeat to Ghana. The Super Eagles also missed out on the 2026 tournament after losing their playoff to DR Congo, who later had their victory confirmed following Nigeria's failed appeal over player eligibility.

Moffi, who has earned over 22 caps for Nigeria, reflected on the weight of that failure.

"For some of us, we might have to watch from home. How do we tell our children that we had two chances to be at the World Cup and we didn't take it? It's horrible to think about."

The forward's comments lay bare the emotional toll of falling short on the continent's biggest stage. With Nigeria now set to miss a second consecutive World Cup, a golden generation featuring the likes of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi may never get the chance to represent their country at football's most prestigious tournament.

For Moffi and his teammates, the focus now shifts to rebuilding for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and beyond. But the sting of missing two World Cups will linger — a painful chapter in Nigerian football history.

"It's horrible to think about."