FORMER Nigeria international Garba Lawal has urged Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to make qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup their foremost objective, warning that Nigeria cannot afford to miss football’s biggest tournament for a third consecutive time.
News Point Nigeria Sport reports that Lawal, a member of the Super Eagles squad that reached the Round of 16 at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, made the appeal while stressing that securing a place at the next Mundial must take precedence over every other ambition on the NFF’s agenda. He argued that Nigeria’s pedigree in world football demands consistent participation at the global showpiece.
“World Cup qualification must be our top priority. Nigeria cannot afford to miss another edition because the country belongs on that stage,” Lawal said.
The former Super Eagles midfielder also welcomed the NFF’s decision to extend Chelle’s contract beyond the 2026 cycle, describing the move as both timely and necessary. According to him, the extension provides the Franco-Malian tactician with the confidence and stability needed to implement his long-term vision for the national team.
Lawal maintained that continuity within the technical crew remains one of the most important ingredients required for Nigeria to reclaim its place among Africa’s leading football nations.
“The contract extension gives the coach confidence and stability. It allows him to settle down, understand the players better and build a team for the future,” he said.
Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America further deepened what has become a worrying trend for one of Africa’s traditional football powerhouses.
The Super Eagles had earlier failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after suffering a painful play-off elimination to Ghana on the away-goals rule. Four years later, they endured another setback after finishing second to South Africa in Group C before losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the African play-offs.
Despite that disappointment, Chelle, who was appointed in January 2025 after inheriting a team with only three points from four qualifying matches, has overseen significant improvement in the squad’s performances.
Across 27 international matches in charge, the coach has recorded 16 victories, nine draws and only two defeats—a run of results that convinced the NFF to renew his contract despite the failure to reach the 2026 World Cup.
Lawal acknowledged the progress recorded under Chelle but insisted that the gains must now be channelled into a deliberate and carefully structured qualification campaign for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, Morocco and South America.
He called on the players, coaching crew and football administrators to unite behind that single objective, stressing that sustained planning, consistency and long-term commitment would be essential if Nigeria is to return to the tournament.
The former international also urged the NFF and the technical team to draw lessons from the painful failures of the last two qualification campaigns, insisting that all stakeholders must put the country’s interest above personal considerations to ensure the Super Eagles return to the World Cup stage, where Nigeria’s football tradition has long been recognised and celebrated.