NFF disowns controversial statement singling out Troost-Ekong and Cyriel Dessers

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has completely disavowed a controversial press release that directly blamed two key Super Eagles players for the team’s disappointing 1-1 draw against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

The statement, which was released on Tuesday night by the Federation’s Communications Department, had sparked outrage among fans and football analysts. It directly criticised team captain William Troost-Ekong and forward Cyriel Dessers for their performances in the Group C qualifier at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.

However, in a telephone interview with journalist Omofoma Ebare, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi denied that the Federation had sanctioned the statement.

Sanusi expressed his personal disappointment with the draw, but stressed that the official position of the NFF is one of collective responsibility.

“It was a painful result, but as a believer, I know that whatever comes is from God,” Sanusi said. “We are not happy, and we apologize to all Nigerians. But I saw the press release the same way everyone else did. The NFF did not authorize anyone to publish such a statement.”

He emphasized the NFF’s pride in the national team players and condemned the act of singling out individuals for blame.

“We are proud of our players,” he added. “Blaming individuals is not acceptable. When we win, it’s a team effort, and when we lose, it’s the same. No single player should be held responsible.”

The NFF general secretary also praised both Troost-Ekong and Dessers for their significant contributions to Nigerian football, highlighting their past successes.

“The two players have contributed significantly to the development of football in Nigeria. Both of them were two of our best players in England when we won the trophy, and we celebrated with them. We are not happy with them being singled out.”

Sanusi further stated that the Federation is launching an internal investigation to determine the origin of the unauthorized release and promised that appropriate action will be taken.

The result leaves Nigeria’s qualification hopes in limbo. With 11 points from eight matches, the Super Eagles are at risk of missing back-to-back FIFA World Cup tournaments, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar.

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