Nigeria missing out in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico is painful, but it also creates a rare window of self appraisals and reset. This is a sober time for fans as the biggest football event on earth is just days away. With the talent at our disposal, the next three years give us time to stop fire brigade approach and start building for 2030. The U-23 team, aimed at the Olympics in Los Angeles 2028, is the perfect project to reset our football identity globally with purpose and direction.
The Olympics football tournament is unique. It is U-23 with 3 overage players, so it forces investment in youth. Countries like Spain, Brazil, Argentina. Morocco and France have used it as a springboard and it worked for them. Nigeria won gold in Atlanta 1996 Olympics and we can do it again with the right attitude,coaching and preparation.
Eric Chelle has shown since last year with the Super Eagles that he is not afraid of making bold decisions. He has dropped big names, trusted younger legs, and demanded tactical discipline.
That mindset methink is exactly what an U-23 project needs — merit over reputation or big names. We can achieve a lot if he is given the responsibility to coach both the Super Eagles and the U-23 team.
A proper U-23 setup gives Nigeria a solid foundation for smooth and seamless transition and continuity. Instead of assembling players two weeks before a tournament, Chelle can work with the same core for three years. Some players already in the Super Eagles can also qualify for the U-23. That is the time to install a playing philosophy, build chemistry, and correct mistakes without World Cup pressure.
The talent pool is already there. Our U-20 and U-17 teams keep producing top players who stall at club level because there is no bridge to cross to the senior football. A structured U-23 programmell becomes that bridge and keeps them in the Nigerian system longer.
Benjamin Federick and Zadok Yohanna are the type of players this project should be built around.
Zadok Yohanna brings a new phase of talent discovery to the Nigerian football. Though he was overlooked by our U+17 and U-20 teams in the past probably as a result of injuries,but his performance in the Swedish league has drawn global attention with top English clubs fighting for his signature. His energy and drive from midfield stand out. He covers ground, wins second balls, and has the engine to play Chelle’s high-intensity style. With two years of tactical coaching, he can develop into one of the best players in the world.
Players from the local league have also shown great prospects, and not everyone can go straight to the Super Eagles. Some have to come through the ranks before stardom. Kenneth Igboke and Oputa Chibueze of Rangers cannot be overlooked. Their performance in winning the Unity Cup in London with the Super Eagles showed composure and big-game mentality. The Olympic Eagles can be their launch pad to cementing permanent Super Eagles spots.
We also have emerging superstars in Europe like Andullahi Bewene and Suleiman Sani of RB Leipzig. Sani’s technical quality and Bewene’s explosiveness are exactly the future profile the Super Eagles need. The U-23 team must attract them now, not wait until they are cap-tied elsewhere.
Naming and investing in players like Federick, Yohanna, Bewene, Igboke, Chibueze, and Sani early builds confidence. When young players know the coach trusts them for a long-term plan, they play with freedom. Chelle’s boldness means he won’t hesitate to hand them responsibility.
The Olympics carry less political pressure than the World Cup. That gives Chelle space to experiment, fail, and learn. By 2028, those lessons will translate into a senior team with strong character and winning mentality; a team that is tactically mature, not just individually talented.
Grassroots clubs and academies will benefit too. When the NFF signals that U-23 is a serious pathway, more clubs will invest in player development knowing there’s a clear route to national team football and international exposure.
Financially, it makes sense for the NFF if Chelle is given the responsibility. Preparing one U-23 team for three years is cheaper than constantly rebuilding the Super Eagles every AFCON cycle. Sponsors also buy into Olympic projects because of the global visibility and “future stars” narrative.
Nigeria’s 1996 gold winning team was built on trust in young players like Kanu, Okocha, Babayaro, and Amuneke. None were “finished products” then. Chelle can recreate that culture by telling Federick, Yohanna, Bewene, Igboke, Chibueze, Sani and others: “This team is yours to build.”
Tactically, Chelle’s preference for compactness and quick transitions suits Olympic football. The tournament is short, played in heat, with tight turnarounds. A fit and well-drilled U-23 team can outrun and outthink opponents who rely on individual brilliance.
The mental side matters. Three years together builds brotherhood and strengthens team chemistry with proper bonding. Players learn to fight for each other. Olympic football is won by teams, not collections of stars. That unity is what made Nigeria 1996 special, and Chelle can instill it again.
We must also use the U-23 to reintegrate home-based players. It is good that Eric Chelle has come to watch the league and I hope it continues. The NPFL has talent that have been ignored because there is no consistent scouting. A standing U-23 team forces the technical crew to watch our league weekly and reward form.
We don’t need a coach for the U-23 team who can’t attract our best players in this age category. The future of the Super Eagles depends on the performance of the youth teams. A strong team performance at the Olympics U-23 will be a plus. Give Chelle the U-23 job now,back him for three years, and let him take Benjamin Federick, Zadok Yohanna, Andullahi Bewene, Kenneth Igboke, Oputa Chibueze, Suleiman Sani and the next generation to the Olympics. That is how we build forward with purpose.And the to assemble and build a solid and successful U-23 is the foundation of Super Eagles that could be dreaded in global football tournaments.