Former Super Eagles midfielder Etim Esin has disclosed that he turned to cocaine and contemplated taking his own life following his exclusion from Nigeria’s squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States — a tournament that remains one of the most celebrated chapters in Nigerian football history.
Speaking on the Play Zone Podcast, Esin described the World Cup omission as the single greatest regret of his career. “My greatest regret was not playing at the World Cup,” he said. “That led me to a lot of depression. I nearly committed suicide because I had a dream.”
The midfielder further revealed the extent of his subsequent substance abuse, stating: “I could not believe that after the ’90s, I would not also be part of the squad for the ’94 World Cup. That’s why I went into drugs. I was so depressed that I went into drugs; I was taking cocaine.”
Esin’s heartbreak was deepened by an alleged promise made to him by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, the Nigerian businessman and politician who was imprisoned following the annulment of the June 1993 presidential election he is widely believed to have won. According to Esin, Abiola had personally assured him of a leadership role within the squad. “Abiola promised me, ‘if I win the election, you will captain the team to the World Cup.’ You know this life, in a split second, can just turn around. Abiola was locked up. The World Cup was the only dream I had,” Esin recalled.
The political upheaval surrounding Abiola’s detention in 1994 coincided directly with Nigeria’s World Cup preparations, adding a broader national dimension to the personal anguish Esin experienced. Abiola died in detention in July 1998, and his legacy remains a deeply significant and contested part of Nigerian political history.
Despite Esin’s absence, the 1994 Super Eagles produced what is widely regarded as Nigeria’s finest FIFA World Cup campaign. The squad advanced from a group containing Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece before being eliminated by Italy in the Round of 16 in a closely contested match. The team, captained by the late goalkeeper Peter Rufai against Argentina, left a lasting imprint on African football.
Esin recalled that his absence was noticed even within the squad itself. “Even the late Peter Rufai… asked where the African Maradona was,” he said. “So, you can imagine how it was very painful for me at that time.”
Rufai, who earned over 65 caps for Nigeria and was considered one of Africa’s finest goalkeepers of his generation, passed away in January 2025. His acknowledgment of Esin’s absence during the tournament underscores the standing the midfielder held among his peers prior to the squad announcement.
Esin’s account brings renewed attention to the psychological pressures faced by professional footballers, particularly those who narrowly miss major tournaments after years of preparation and expectation. Mental health remains an area of growing focus within African football, with several former and current players having spoken in recent years about the emotional toll of life in and around elite sport.
No further details regarding the specific circumstances of Esin’s exclusion from the 1994 squad have been provided in the public domain, and the Nigerian Football Federation has not issued any statement in response to his comments.
