Veteran Nigerian goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has voiced his frustration over the Super Eagles’ underwhelming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, drawing a sharp contrast with the progress of South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, Soccernet.ng reports.
Akpeyi, 38, who has played in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League since 2015 and currently turns out for Marumo Gallants, praised the structure and cohesion within South African football, attributing their strong showing in Group C to those qualities.
While South Africa sit top of the group with 13 points from six games — four wins, a draw, and one loss — Nigeria languish in fourth with just seven points from one win and four draws.
The Super Eagles are now six points off the summit, behind Benin and Rwanda, and level on points with Lesotho, while Zimbabwe prop up the table with four.
“We lack what South Africa has” – Super Eagles star issues blunt verdict on Nigeria's poor World Cup race
Speaking to FARPost, Akpeyi was candid in his assessment:
“The standing in the World Cup qualifiers group is a clear reflection that South African football is higher. You can have big players, but coming up with a team is something that many fail to do,” he said.
“But South Africa has managed to do that with ease under Hugo Broos. Of course, as a Nigerian, I am disappointed with how we have played the World Cup qualifiers.”
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The Super Eagles shot-stopper believes that the South African model — built on unity, identity, and a strong domestic league — is what Nigeria must emulate.
“But we all should follow how it has been done by South Africa. The growth and progress have been due to several factors, including team effort,” he said.
“We [Nigeria] could be like Bafana Bafana if we have players who play for the country and not for themselves. That has been the major difference between us; in South Africa, there is no individuality.”
Akpeyi concluded with a pointed reflection on Nigeria’s missing ingredients:
“I strongly believe that we [Nigeria] deserve to be in first position. Right now, we lack so many fundamentals that South Africa has. That also includes cohesion and identity.”
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and look set to miss out on the next edition of the global showpiece.
