Still smarting from the heartbreak of missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, the Super Eagles have been handed a blunt warning ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign: fight from the first whistle or risk another costly failure.

The waening is coming from former Nigeria international and coach Nduka Ugbade who says the team simply cannot afford to treat the opening qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea with anything less than full seriousness.

Ugbade recalled that Nigeria went into the last World Cup qualifying series believing points against the Democratic Republic of Congo were guaranteed, only to fall short in the end.

According to him, that costly complacency must never be repeated. “This time, we must start fighting from the beginning of the competition until the very last day,” he warned, stressing that the team has to remain ahead on both points and goal difference throughout the qualifiers.

While Ugbade backed Nigeria to win their opening double-header, he cautioned strongly against underrating Madagascar, pointing to the Barea’s shock 2-0 victory over the Super Eagles at a past AFCON tournament as proof that the team is far from a pushover. He urged the Eagles to draw lessons from that painful history rather than dismiss the Indian Ocean islanders as minnows.

The former U-17 World Cup-winning captain also addressed the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen from the squad, admitting his unavailability leaves a significant gap. He described Osimhen as a player whose personality, finishing ability and overall presence are difficult to replace, but insisted the rest of the squad must rise to the occasion in his absence, much as top footballing nations like Brazil and Argentina cope when key men are missing.

Ugbade urged the Eagles to make full use of home advantage, noting that the opening qualifier will be played on Nigerian soil. He believes maximum points at home would ease the pressure when the team travels for the reverse fixtures, allowing Nigeria to approach away matches with greater composure and control.

Beyond results on the pitch, the ex-international did not shy away from the administrative turbulence surrounding Nigerian football, involving the Nigeria Football Federation, the government and FIFA. He appealed to Nigerians to rally behind the team regardless of the boardroom troubles, arguing that instability off the field inevitably affects output on it.

He also renewed his call for greater investment in coaching education and a more scientific approach to player development, citing how Nigeria could borrow discipline from Germany, possession-based intelligence from Spain, and physical power from England to sharpen its own football identity.

Ugbade’s intervention comes at a defining moment for Nigerian football, with the Super Eagles determined to avoid a repeat of the World Cup qualifying collapse as they open their AFCON 2027 campaign against Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar.

His message was unambiguous noting that Nigeria must fight from the very first match, take nothing for granted, and treat every point in the qualifiers as one Nigeria cannot afford to drop. (The Sun)