Nigerian football legend, Emmanuel Amuneke, has criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), blaming the sharp decline in the country’s youth football structure on poor planning and political interference.
In an interview with Punch, the 1994 AFCON winner expressed disappointment over the NFF’s approach to youth development, warning that Nigeria’s football future is at risk if urgent action isn’t taken.
“A nation that fails to develop its youth football is a failure. I don’t know why people think we can succeed just by praying. When you replace hard work with prayer, nothing will happen,” Amuneke said.
He further lamented that while other nations are investing in their young talents, Nigeria remains entangled in politics.
“Other countries are grooming players who will take over in five years, but we are busy playing politics. That’s why our youth teams keep failing,” he added.
Amuneke noted that although the quality of players has not drastically changed, the effort and structure for development have declined.
His remarks come amid a worrying downturn in Nigeria’s youth football across different levels. The Flying Eagles (U-20) crashed out in the second round of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, eventually won by Morocco.
At the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, the Flamingos suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Canada in their opening match and are set to face France next. Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup after losing to Ghana in the semi-finals of the 2025 WAFU-B Cup, also missing out on the U-17 AFCON.
Responding to the criticism, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau acknowledged the challenges and outlined new plans to revive youth football.
“I’m concerned because the future of our football begins with these young players. The NFF and FIFA have created a talent development programme for U-15 boys and girls, which is a top priority,” Gusau said.
He added that the federation will now adopt a more structured approach to player selection.
“We’re starting afresh. It won’t be business as usual. Instead of open camps with thousands of players, we’ll begin identifying talents from age 14,” he explained.
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