Sunday Oliseh, former Super Eagles head coach, has raised concerns about the consequences of the team’s celebration following their third-place finish at the 2025 AFCON, suggesting it fosters a culture of mediocrity.
Oliseh’s comments came after he witnessed mockery from both African and European pundits as Nigeria celebrated their win against Egypt in the bronze medal playoff held in Morocco last weekend.
The Super Eagles secured their ninth bronze medal in the tournament’s history by triumphing 4-2 in a penalty shootout against the Pharaohs.
Before the AFCON final in Rabat, a video went viral of our superheroes [Super Eagles players] celebrating widely for winning third place against Egypt,” Oliseh stated on the Global Football Insight Podcast.
“From my seat in the media tribune, I watched as African and European pundits mocked us. They could not believe it.
“There was a time when the Super Eagles shed tears after finishing second place at the AFCON. Because to us, anything but the trophy was a failure. Celebrating third place builds a culture of mediocrity.”