Four months after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has revealed he is still hurt, adding that he went more than three days without eating.
The Eagles needed a win against Ghana at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja in March to qualify for the World Cup, after playing a goalless draw at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi in the first fixture of their play-off, but could only manage a 1-1 draw, which saw the Black Stars qualify for the global football showpiece on the away-goal rule.
Seeking his third World Cup appearance in Qatar, having represented Nigeria at the 2014 and 2018 editions, the Fatih Karagumruk forward said he was left disappointed with the failure to qualify for the Mundial.
“It was a very big disappointment for me because the World Cup is one of the best tournaments that as a player you want to go there,” the former Leicester City winger told Arise TV.
“I’ve been to the World Cup twice and this one, I won’t be there; it’s a painful thing for me. That game against Ghana, I keep on imagining it till now. But in football, you have to get a sad day like that.
“At the end of that game, I spent more than three days without eating. Even my wife kept asking, why are you still thinking?
“The young players still have a lot of time. But I thought that would be my last World Cup. I can’t say anything more because that’s what God decided is going to happen.”
Following Ghana’s poor outing at the Africa Cup of Nations two months before the qualifier, the Eagles were the clear favourites to pick the World Cup ticket over the Black Stars but saw their arch-rivals edge them to the slot.
The disappointment saw angry Abuja fans invade the pitch and destroy parts of the stadium facilities. Reflecting on the ugly incident, the 29-year-old Eagles captain said he hid in the dressing room for more than three hours.
“After the (Ghana) game, we the players were in the dressing room for three hours. We could not go out because of the fans. Everybody was angry about the result,” he added.
“That stadium was at its best that day. NFF did their best. We stayed in one of the best hotels in Abuja.
“It’s just the luck that we didn’t have that day. So, we don’t have to blame anyone. We, the players, have to take the blame.”
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