The failure of Nigeria's men to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup has prompted criticism and raised serious questions about the country's player-development system.
Nigeria is proud of its record as the only African team to reach the knockout stages of the World Cup on three occasions but now it is struggling to come to terms with missing out on the tournament for a second successive time.
The Super Eagles were unimpressive during qualification against lesser footballing nations such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and South Africa, winning just four out of 10 games. That earned entry to the playoffs – which ended in defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo on November 16.
"The dynamics of African football have changed and are still changing. Teams are improving, and they are no longer scared of Nigeria," Collins Okinyo, former media officer at the Confederation for African Football
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