Nigeria is one of the most successful African nations in football, having won the Africa Cup of Nations three times and the Olympic gold medal in 1996. However, the country has been struggling in recent years, and their struggles have continued ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Nigeria has been plagued by a lack of stability and consistency in their team selection. The country has seen a number of different managers come and go over the past few years, and this has caused a lack of continuity in the team’s performances. This has been compounded by the fact that the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has been unable to secure a long-term sponsor for the national team. This has resulted in a lack of resources and funding for the team, making it difficult to attract and retain top players.
The lack of stability and resources has also had an impact on the team’s performance on the pitch. Nigeria has failed to qualify for the last two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, and their recent results have been poor. They have lost four of their last five matches, including a 5-1 defeat to Algeria in October 2019. This poor run of form has seen them drop to 44th in the FIFA rankings, their lowest position since 2010.
The situation is not helped by the fact that Nigeria is facing stiff competition from other African nations ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The likes of Senegal, Ghana, and Algeria are all expected to be strong contenders for the tournament, and Nigeria will need to improve their performances if they are to stand a chance of qualifying.
Nigeria will need to make some major changes if they are to turn their fortunes around and qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. They will need to find a manager who can bring stability and consistency to the team, as well as secure a long-term sponsor to provide them with the necessary resources and funding. They will also need to improve their performances on the pitch if they are to stand a chance of competing with the other African nations.
Nigeria’s struggles continue ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but with the right changes, they could still turn their fortunes around and qualify for the tournament. It will take hard work and dedication from both the players and the NFF, but if they can make the necessary improvements, then they could be in with a chance of success.
