By Aderonke ojo
Football stakeholders in the FCT have expressed their disappointment with the Flying Eagles 0-4 loss to their Argentine counterparts in the Round of 16 of the 2025 FIFA Under 20 World Cup in Chile on Wednesday.
The Round of 16 match was played at the Estadio Nacional, Santiago. Chile.
Some of the stakeholders on Thursday in Abuja, called for a reassessment of Nigeria’s youth football.
Coach Bunmi Haruna said that the early goals conceded by the team didn’t help their cause, saying that Argentina was the better team overall, and the Eagles weren’t good enough this time.
“ It’s best for us to return home and prepare more thoroughly for future competitions.
“ In spite of the loss, I did notice some promising players. Midfielder, Tahir Maigana and forward,Israel Ayuma showed potential, and they could be valuable assets for Nigeria in the future,” he said.
According to Sports journalist Tolulope Oguntimehin, who expressed disappointment with the Flying Eagles performance, said he was optimistic about the team’s prospects of making it far in the competition.
“We still have a long way to go before we can compete at the Under-20 level podium finish.
“ We have always had difficulties, and I believe we made mistakes in the tactical and technical aspects; its been a complete mess. I’m disappointed because I had higher expectations of our team.
“ I think it’s time for us to head back home and reassess our approach. Our preparation style is lacking, and we don’t invest enough time and effort into each competition,” he said.
He also emphasised on the need for better preparation and early camping to fully develop the abundant talents at Nigeria’s disposal.
Oguntimehin also criticised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and urged them to do more, especially given the lack of proper structure to nurture discovered football talents.
“The NFF must get it right if we want to compete on the global stage,” he said.
Meanwhile, Coach Christopher Dauda who provided a more scathing critique, blamed poor selection and weak defensive organisation for the loss.
He claimed that Argentina’s well-organised defence and nimble counter attacks foiled Nigeria’s attempts.
“The Nigeria defenders were just falling while clearing the ball . The younger Argentines could block our boys, and wouldn’t even be able to match up with strength,let alone block them,”he said.
Dauda, who questioned the leadership and selection process of the team, said that many of the players lacked the basic tactical awareness and physical aggression expected at this level.
“ Our best U-20 players can never be like this. At least challenge an opponent if a smaller player tries to get past you. These boys don’t know how to use their physical attributes to their advantage,” he said.
He added that the team struggled to stay focused and respond quickly after losing possession, a flaw that Argentina exploited ruthlessly.
Others stakeholders blamed the technical crew’s poor game management and tactical ignorance.
With the Flying Eagles eliminatation from the world cup, calls for structural reforms in youth football in the countyr have grown louder.
Since 2009, the Flying Eagles have been sent packing by Germany, France, Uruguay, Senegal, South Korea — and now Argentina.
