NFF Explains Why Super Eagles Missed AFCON 2025 Bronze Medal Ceremony

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has explained why the Super Eagles players were absent from the medal presentation ceremony following their third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Although Nigeria secured the bronze medal with a 4–2 penalty shootout win over Egypt in the third-place playoff, the squad did not attend the medal presentation held after the tournament’s final between Morocco and Senegal.

According to NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, the players had to return immediately to their clubs after Saturday’s match and were therefore unable to remain in Morocco until Sunday’s ceremony. He said that many of the players’ clubs insisted they return without delay, making it impossible for them to stay for the official presentation.

Gusau also noted that Egypt experienced the same situation, with their players similarly unable to attend the ceremony because of club demands. He added that the medals are currently in the possession of the NFF and would be given to the players at a later time.

The bronze medal marked Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history, the most by any nation in the competition.

EDITORIAL

In an age of fixture congestion and the ever-intensifying tug-of-war between club and country, the absence of the Super Eagles from the AFCON 2025 bronze medal presentation serves as a stark illustration of the modern footballer’s dilemma. What once was an unquestioned ritual players standing proudly to receive medals in front of thousands — has increasingly become negotiable territory, dictated not only by pride but by contractual obligation and commercial realities.

The decision for Nigeria’s contingent to depart Morocco immediately after their third-place triumph was, at its heart, pragmatic. Many of these athletes ply their trade in Europe’s top leagues, where the winter schedule waits for no man. Clubs, mindful of crucial fixtures and demanding training calendars, exert pressure on their players to return swiftly, especially when international commitments stretch beyond matchday. Ibrahim Gusau’s explanation reflects this tension the earnest desire to honour an achievement and the inescapable pull of club obligations that govern a player’s livelihood.

Yet, there is a cultural cost. The medal ceremony is more than a formality; it is a moment of recognition — for players, supporters and the fabric of African football alike. To be absent from it diminishes neither the achievement nor the joy of victory, but it does highlight the pressures that modern football places on national representation. It speaks to the evolution of the game, where the rhythms of domestic leagues and international tournaments increasingly overlap, creating awkward junctures in which traditions are quietly compromised.

Gusau’s remark that Egypt faced the same predicament underscores that this is not an isolated issue for Nigerian football, but a structural challenge across the continent. If the cadence of international competitions continues to diverge from the domestic calendar, then federations and confederations must reimagine ceremonial norms to ensure that players can be celebrated without jeopardising club commitments. After all, medals are symbols — but the memories they encapsulate deserve to be shared in their proper moment.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Nigeria’s bronze at AFCON 2025 was the country’s ninth third-place finish in the history of the tournament, the most by any nation.
2. The medal presentation took place after the AFCON final between Morocco and Senegal, on the day following Nigeria’s third-place game.
3. Several Super Eagles players play for European clubs, whose logistical demands contributed to the early departures from Morocco.
4. Egypt’s squad also missed the medal ceremony for the same reason, underlining a broader clash between club schedules and tournament ceremonies.
5. The NFF currently holds the Super Eagles’ bronze medals, which will be distributed to the players later.