The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, has disassociated the body from a controversial press release that blamed two Super Eagles players for Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Sanusi firmly denied that the NFF sanctioned the statement, stressing the body’s commitment to collective responsibility in both victory and defeat.
He confirmed that the NFF is investigating the source of the release and promised appropriate action.
“Nobody in the NFF posted that release. The NFF did not direct it. The NFF has respect for all the players, and it was a collective responsibility,” Sanusi said.
“When we win, it is not an individual effort. And if we lose, there should not be blame on any individual player. It is a collective one.”
He particularly condemned attempts to single out captain William Troost-Ekong, who scored an own goal in the 25th minute of the encounter.
“Nobody was happy that an individual was singled out. That player has contributed significantly to the development of football in Nigeria. Remember the last AFCON, when he was the best footballer? He was the best player and we celebrated him,” Sanusi noted.
Sanusi insisted that Troost-Ekong’s attempt to clear the ball was unfortunate rather than intentional.
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“No player would want to score an own goal. The intention was for him to clear the ball. But as God would have it, it was destiny that the ball went in. Ekong would not deliberately score an own goal,” he added.
The NFF reiterated its support for the players and assured fans that steps are being taken to prevent such misinformation in the future.
