Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh has hailed Osimhen, Lookman and Adams as world-class, but says a combined 51 goals this season cannot mask the structural problems that have kept the Super Eagles out of back-to-back World Cups.
Sunday Oliseh is not about to downplay what Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams have been doing for their clubs and country this season. Their numbers are genuinely staggering. Between the three of them, they have scored 51 goals since the start of the 2025/26 campaign: Osimhen has 28 for Galatasaray, Adams 12 for Sevilla, and Lookman 11 for Atletico Madrid. But the former Nigeria captain and coach has a clear message alongside the applause: great fuel does nothing for a broken engine.
“Let us look at the facts,” Oliseh said on Global Football Insights With Oliseh. We currently have world-class talent in Victor Osimhen, Akor Adams, and Ademola Lookman. Watching them play is a real pleasure. They break down European defenses with ease and are our main driving force at the moment. But even the best fuel cannot make an engine run if it is not in proper condition.” Super Eagles fans wanting to back Nigeria in upcoming qualifiers can take advantage of the latest Bet9ja promotion code before the next round of fixtures.
The World Cup Problem
Oliseh’s broader concern is structural. The Super Eagles put on an exciting showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but that continental performance could not disguise the fact that Nigeria has missed two consecutive World Cups. That is the barometer that matters most at this level of football, and no amount of spectacular individual performances can fully answer that question. The NFF needs to start planning now for 2030 and 2034 if the Super Eagles are to reverse that trend. For those tracking the Eagles’ qualifying run, the Bet9ja’s current promo code gives a strong opening bonus for new users heading into the campaign.
He also raised a concern that will resonate with fans who have watched the squad closely: some of the current stars may not be available when the next major tournaments come around. Age, injuries and career transitions will all play a part. Osimhen will be 29 by the 2030 World Cup. Adams and Lookman are younger, but squad depth behind the frontline remains thin.
Building for the Future
Oliseh’s prescription is investment in youth development and a more deliberate approach to building a balanced squad. Relying on three gifted forwards to carry the team every time is not a sustainable strategy, and his message to the NFF is essentially to use the current golden generation as a platform rather than a ceiling.
Despite all of this, Oliseh ended on an optimistic note. He believes the combination of exceptional attacking talent and proper long-term planning can produce a Super Eagles team capable of competing at the highest level. The question is whether the federation has the will to build around what they have. New Bet9ja users following Nigeria’s qualifying journey can access the YOHAIG promo code for enhanced welcome bonuses before the matches begin.
📌 Did You Know?
- Sunday Oliseh represented Nigeria at two World Cups, in 1994 and 1998, scoring a famous long-range goal against Spain at France 98 that is still considered one of the competition’s great strikes.
- Akor Adams joined Sevilla from Montpellier and became one of the first Nigerians to score regularly in La Liga since Obafemi Martins had spells in Spain over a decade earlier.
- Nigeria’s last World Cup appearance was at Russia 2018, where they were eliminated in the group stage despite beating Iceland in their second match.
- Victor Osimhen’s 28-goal haul for Galatasaray this season puts him on pace to challenge the club’s all-time single-season scoring record in Turkish football.
- Ademola Lookman won the African Football Player of the Year award in 2023 after his outstanding performances for Atalanta, becoming one of the continent’s most recognised footballers.
- The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across six countries on three continents, with matches in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, meaning African players who qualify will face relatively shorter travel distances to at least some games.
- Sunday Oliseh managed the Super Eagles as head coach from 2015 to 2016, departing under controversial circumstances after a public fallout with senior players during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
