Former Nigeria international Sam Elijah in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has strongly disagreed with comments made by former Super Eagles captain and head coach Sunday Oliseh, who claimed that Nigeria’s bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was not worth celebrating.
Nigeria finished third at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, defeating the Pharoah of Egypt in the third-place playoff.
Speaking in an interview with Footy-Africa, Elijah insisted the Super Eagles deserved recognition for their achievement, given the circumstances surrounding the tournament.
“I don’t agree with him. The bronze medal is worth celebrating. If Oliseh were the coach, would he say his team should not be celebrated after playing good football and capping it with a medal?” Elijah told Footy-Africa.
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Elijah also pointed out that AFCON is a highly competitive tournament with only one eventual winner:
“Several countries participated in the AFCON and they all wanted to win. It is not only Senegal, Nigeria and Morocco that played in the Nations Cup, and there can be only one winner.”
Oliseh, however, had expressed disappointment with what he described as a shift in Nigeria’s football culture. He argued that previous Nigerian teams “used to cry after losing finals,” while the current generation is now celebrated for finishing third.
According to Oliseh, celebrating a bronze medal sets “a dangerous precedent” and suggests that “the performance bar has been lowered.”
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Elijah rejected that view, stressing that the Super Eagles showed quality, unity and resilience throughout the competition:
“They fought all the way and deserved to go home with something. We have been participating in the AFCON for years, but how many times has Nigeria won? Just three, and that says a lot about us.”
He also highlighted off-field challenges faced by the team before the tournament:
“Finishing in the top three is not bad, especially when you consider the challenges before the tournament. The boys were owed several bonuses and the NFF also had its problems, which was enough to discourage them.”
Oliseh further claimed that Victor Osimhen’s heated exchange with Ademola Lookman during the round-of-16 match against Mozambique contributed to Nigeria’s failure to beat Morocco in the semi-finals.
Elijah dismissed that claim:
“That’s a big lie, and I don’t believe it. Football is an emotional sport and Osimhen is not the first player to have a heated argument with his teammates on the pitch.”
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He added that the situation was quickly resolved:
“Osimhen apologized after the incident, and we saw the performance against Algeria and how the players celebrated together. The camp was bubbling and alive. Although things like that can dampen the spirit of a team if not resolved properly, on this occasion it was resolved. It happens in football many times, and we all know Oliseh during his playing days. He was a troublemaker, and there were several fights in the camp as well, but they still managed to achieve some success.”
Elijah concluded by defending the team’s overall performance, including their semi-final loss to hosts Morocco.
“The boys did their best. The match officials made it difficult for them against Morocco. The referee made the difference, and it affected the performance of the players. We shouldn’t take anything away from them,” he concluded.
