“I want to play at the World Cup”- Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali says ahead of South Africa clash

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has revealed that one of his biggest dreams is to play at the FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nwabali has quickly risen to become a mainstay in the Super Eagles in the last six months. Coach Jose Peseiro invited the Chippa United star to join the Super Eagles squad before the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire earlier this year, and he has proven his mettle.

Nwabali was quite impressive in the competition, providing the much-needed calm in the goalkeeping department after previous problems with Francis Uzoho and Maduka Okoye. And unless something unprecedented happens, Nwabali will likely remain Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper for a long time.

The Super Eagles are currently preparing for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa on June 7, in what is a must-win game. And Nwabali will likely be in goal. The Chippa United star has never played at the World Cup, and that would be a big motivation for him going into the tie, as he has revealed that he has always wanted to play in the competition.

“To be honest, I really wish to play at the World Cup because I enjoyed the atmosphere at the AFCON,” Nwabali told NFF media.

“So I really want to test the World Cup also. I’ve only watched it from behind years ago, but I really want to be part of the team going to the World Cup.”

Nwabali still has a long way to go if he wants to play at the World Cup though. Nigeria still have to navigate past the qualifiers which will last till 2026.