Shameless, Brainless and Clueless Nigeria’s Football Officials News

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Shameless, Brainless and Clueless Nigeria’s Football Officials

By Obiako Chris Okechukwu on May 13, 2026

SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS 2026

Italy, one of the best football playing nations in the world failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals for third time in a row, and that set heads rolling.

The fact that The Azurris, champions in 1934 in Italy, 1938 in France, 1982 in Spain,and 2006 in Germany, did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals in USA, Canada and Mexico, is no longer news.

It was shock and bewilderment when the Italians were knocked out by Edin Zeko's Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last play-off match for the Mundial ticket at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on March 30, 2026.

Remarkably, in what stands out as an extra-ordinary admission of guilt, three top officials of the Italian Football hierarchy resigned their positions.

Without finger-pointing, trading of blames, shadow-chasing or brandishing of excuses, the following officials owned up to their failure, and threw in the towel:

1. Gabrielle Gravina - Italy Football Association ((FIGC) President.

2. Gianluca Buffon - Head of Delegation, FIGC.

3.Gennaro Gatuso - Head Coach, Italy Senior National Team.

Italy, having won the the FIFA World Cup trophy four times, were expected to beat their Bosnia counterparts black and blue. Their officials were expected to go to town, beating their chests that they’re the second best football nation in the world, and therefore deserve some respect. Remember, the only country with a better record are Brazil, who won it five times. Germany have also won it four times, just like The Azurris.

But in modern day football, ‘I get am before no be property’.

In modern football, a team is judged by present circumstances. In modern football, a team is judged by their last result. Nobody relies on primitive disposition.Nobody weighs in on archaic tendencies.

Having lifted the most prestigious trophy in world football four times, and came short as runners-up on two occasions in 1970 and 1994, third place in 1990, fourth place in 1978, everyone expected the Italians to be content with the disappointment of not being part of the 2026 edition. But Gravina and co. had other ideas.They had dignity. They had shame. They had integrity. They had reputation to protect - unlike their counterparts in Nigeria.

Now, the laughable aspect is that Gravina's Nigerian counterpart, Ibrahim Gusau, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF President), and his cohorts, instead of resigning en masse; instead of hiding their faces in shame, are telling whoever cares to listen that they're better than Italy.

Gusau and his counterparts argue that Nigeria have only missed two FIFA World Cup Finals (2022 and 2026), while Italy have missed thrice (2018, 2022 and 2026).What a blasphemy?! What a profanity?! What an insult on our collective sensibilities?!

But football stakeholders are not fooled.

They're asking a very important question:

How can Nigeria (who have only appeared in the Mundial 6 times out of 23; who have only been able to make the second round thrice (1994, 1998 and 2014) be comparing themselves to Italy who have not not only appeared 18 out of 23 times (reaching the finals on six occasions) but lifting the trophy on four different occasions?

I find it extremely difficult, almost impossible to digest this unimaginable and unacceptable comparison . Unquestionably, this is an era of extreme and exclusive shadow-chasing on the part of some shameless,brainless and clueless Nigeria’s football officials.

Yet, these same unbelievable NFF officials are gallivanting all over the place, telling whoever cares to listen that they’re the best thing to happen to Nigeria’s football, therefore, deserve a second chance in the upcoming NFF elections in September 2026. Do they merit a second chance? I leave this question for all football stakeholders to supply the answer.

Source DailySports Nigeria

Posted May 13, 2026