The 38-year-old Marumo Gallants star, Daniel Akpeyi, has revealed that he was devastated by his country's disappointing qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, and expressed his admiration for Hugo Broos' campaign with Bafana Bafana.

The Nigerian star's admiration focused on the current World Cup qualifying campaign in which South Africa top Group C with 13 points from six games, while Nigeria are struggling in fourth place with seven points from one win and four draws.

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Today, the Super Eagles are six points behind leaders South Africa, they are also behind Benin and Rwanda who are level with Lesotho, while Zimbabwe are in fourth place with four points.

In an honest interview with FARPost, goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi didn’t hold back in analyzing Nigeria’s struggles in the World Cup qualifiers.

"The current group standings speak for themselves—South African football is simply at a higher level right now," Akpeyi stated. "Having star players isn’t enough; building a cohesive team is where many nations struggle. Yet South Africa, under Hugo Broos, has mastered this effortlessly."

The former Kaizer Chiefs shot-stopper didn’t hide his frustration, adding: "As a Nigerian, our performances in these qualifiers have been disappointing, to say the least."

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Nigeria's national team goalkeeper has pointed to South Africa's cohesive system as the model for success, emphasizing unity, a clear football identity, and a thriving local league as key ingredients currently missing in Nigerian football.

"South Africa's approach shows the way forward," the veteran keeper explained. "Their improvement comes from multiple factors working together - most importantly, their collective spirit."

Drawing a sharp contrast between the rivals, he noted: “We could achieve what Bafana Bafana has if our players prioritized the nation over personal glory. That's the fundamental difference - South African players think as a unit, not as individuals.”

Hazem Mlhem |

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Hazem Mlhem est un rédacteur sportif expérimenté, animé par une passion pour le football africain.