With Nigeria failing to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, former Super Eagles midfielder Garba Lawal believes the national team now has a critical window to restructure its squad — and that the process should begin immediately.
Lawal pointed to the recently concluded international friendlies against Iran and Jordan as evidence that Chelle is already moving in the right direction by experimenting with fresh faces. “The coach decided to bring new faces into the team, which is good. We aren’t going to the World Cup; we are just preparing for next year’s AFCON,” the former midfielder said.
For Lawal, the absence from the World Cup is not purely a setback — it is an opening. With no major tournament on the immediate horizon until AFCON 2027, the Super Eagles have more time than usual to trial players, adjust tactical systems, and build squad depth without the pressure of high-stakes competition.
However, Lawal cautioned against treating friendlies as low-priority fixtures. “Those friendlies are quality matches; you can’t underestimate them. There are no easy matches,” he said, reflecting the increasingly competitive nature of international football at all levels.
The former star was equally direct about the urgency of the rebuild. “As a coach, you start building now. Since we aren’t going to the World Cup, you can’t say you don’t have time,” he added.
Central to Lawal’s message is the issue of squad age. Nigeria’s current setup includes several players in the late stages of their international careers, and Lawal argued that now is the time to begin transitioning toward a younger core. “Some of these players are 28, 29, and 30. If you want to build a team, you should start bringing in young players who are 21 and 22 now,” he said.
Eric Chelle was appointed Super Eagles head coach earlier in 2025 following the dismissal of Finidi George, who left the role after a difficult start to Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Nigeria ultimately failed to advance from their qualifying group, ending their hopes of featuring at the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
AFCON 2027 is scheduled to be held in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania — marking the first time the tournament will be staged across three co-host nations. Nigeria, who last won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, will be among the favourites heading into the competition, but Lawal’s comments suggest that the foundation for a successful campaign must be laid well in advance.
Chelle is reportedly set to meet with the Nigeria Football Federation to discuss the terms of his continued tenure, with the direction of the squad rebuild likely to form a key part of those discussions.
