Calvin Bassey admits Nigeria missing the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a thought that still hurts.

The Super Eagles lost out of the race to Ghana after a 1-1 draw over the two legs in the playoff back in March.

Bassey, who played both games in Kumasi and Abuja respectively, said missing out to Ghana still hurts, but insists the players have to focus on the upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“It was hard because every body was excited about the opportunity of playing at the World Cup and how big it is,” He told brila.net in an exclusive interview.

“It still hurt a bit, but we’ve got a lot of games coming up and we have to remain focused.”

The Super Eagles will return to competitive action next month, when they play Sierra Leone and Mauritius in the 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“We are excited about the next phase and hopefully we can start the African Cup Nations qualifiers on good note and get a win in both games,” The Rangers defender concluded.