IDNN Sports Desk
Bitter End for Nigeria’s Young Eagles
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets — once the undisputed kings of youth football — stumbled out of the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after a painful 2–0 defeat to Ghana’s Black Starlets. The loss not only eliminated the five-time world champions from the tournament but also underscored deeper cracks in Nigeria’s youth football system.
The defeat in Accra saw Ghana control midfield tempo, while Nigeria looked disjointed and toothless in attack. Fans who once regarded the Eaglets as a factory of talent — producing global stars from Nwankwo Kanu to Victor Osimhen — are now questioning whether the pipeline has dried up.
Ghana Rise, Nigeria Collapse
The Black Starlets struck early in each half, exposing defensive frailties and tactical indiscipline in the Nigerian ranks. The Eaglets’ inability to recover mirrored a worrying pattern from recent youth competitions where early setbacks turned into collapses.
For Ghana, the win secures a ticket to the U-17 AFCON and rekindles memories of their golden youth era. For Nigeria, it is a failure that raises alarms about the scouting, preparation, and administration of youth football.
Coaches Under Fire, Federation in the Dock
Pressure is mounting on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) over repeated age-grade disappointments. Critics argue that inadequate preparation, lack of grassroots integration, and poor welfare for young players have crippled Nigeria’s once-dominant youth teams.
“We can’t live on past glory,” one Lagos-based coach told IDNN. “Without investment in academies and clear development structures, the Eaglets will keep failing.”
Ripple Effect: National Pride and Talent Pipeline at Risk
Nigeria’s youth failures are more than sporting setbacks — they strike at national pride and threaten the senior team’s future. The Super Eagles have long depended on graduates of the U-17 programme to replenish their ranks. With exits at successive youth tournaments, that conveyor belt looks broken.
Meanwhile, rivals like Ghana and Senegal are investing heavily in structured academies, ensuring their next generation is sharper, fitter, and more tactically astute.