Oliseh, Lawal Differ on Nigeria’s AFCON Bronze Finish
Two former Nigerian internationals have expressed contrasting views on the Super Eagles’ third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Sunday Oliseh, a former Super Eagles captain and coach, questioned the celebrations following Nigeria’s 4-2 penalty win over Egypt in the third-place playoff. Oliseh, who won AFCON with Nigeria in 1994, argued that celebrating anything short of the title sends the wrong message.
“Before the final in Rabat, a video went viral of our superheroes celebrating widely for winning third place against Egypt,” Oliseh said on his Global Football Insight Podcast. “In the media tribune, where I sat, I watched as African and European pundits mocked us. They couldn’t believe it. There was a time when the Super Eagles shed tears at second place. Because to us, anything but the trophy was a failure. Celebrating third place builds a culture of mediocrity.”
He added, “We must remember, the decline of our dominance began exactly when we started being content with bronze. If we want to be Africa’s best again, the wild celebration for anything less than gold must stop immediately.”
Oliseh’s former teammate, Garba Lawal, took a different stance, saying the achievement should be respected. Lawal, a 1996 Olympic gold medallist and 57-cap Super Eagles veteran, argued that a medal still represents success.
“Whether you like it or not, when you go for a tournament, you go for one thing, to win the cup. If you don’t win it and you come second or third, you’ve still achieved something,” Lawal told Brila.net. “If you go for a tournament and you want to touch the cup, you have to win the games. If you don’t, at least you come back with a medal. That is something.”
Lawal also pointed to Nigeria’s recent results as a sign of consistency. “We finished second the last time (AFCON 2024) and this time we finished third, it’s an achievement. For me, I believe these players know this is not exactly what they wanted, but that’s football for you.”
Nigeria claimed a record-extending ninth AFCON bronze medal with the win over Egypt. The Super Eagles have won the AFCON title three times, with their last triumph coming in 2013 in South Africa.
