Rufai admits Eagles keeper crisis, calls for support

Former captain, Peter Rufai, has admitted that there are concerns in the goalkeeping department of the Super Eagles but was quick to allay the fears of Nigerians insisting that the country is blessed with quality goalkeepers, The PUNCH reports.

Eagles’ first-choice keeper, Francis Uzoho, has struggled to inspire confidence in recent matches and his poor form came to the fore in the team’s World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe when he reacted slowly to a stunning long-range free-kick from Walter Musona.

Before the encounter against the Warriors at the Huye stadium in Kigali, the Omonia Nicosia stopper had an error-strewn run lately conceding cheeky goals in the Eagles friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique in October.

In the game against Saudi Arabia, the former Deportivo La Coruna and Elche keeper misjudged a harmless ball delivery, palming it into his net while against the Mozambicans; he failed to keep out a weak attempt by Gent Cipriano following a square ball into the Nigerian box.

Fellow keeper Maduka Okoye also came under the spotlight after Nigeria’s quarter-final exit from the 2021 Nations Cup, a 1-0 defeat by Tunisia.

Rufai, who played at the 1994 and 1998 World Cup finals, believes that a collective response from the entire team and every stakeholder can revive the fortunes of the team.

“Yes, we have a goalkeeping problem, but it’s not that we don’t have quality goalkeepers,” Rufai told BBC.

“They need to be courageous, they must be strong and not let the criticisms demoralise them. The entire team should rise up to the occasion.”

Rufai also warned fans and pundits not to write off the Eagles following their poor start to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

There are worries the Eagles could miss out on the finals for a second time running after they fought back twice to record 1-1 draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in their opening Group C games.

But Rufai, 60, believes the three-time African champions can turn it around.

“They can surprise us. Football is a crazy sport. I believe they can still turn things around and make Nigerians happy,” he continued.

“It’s not a disaster yet. I expect the team to turn it around and qualify for the World Cup.”

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