Wilfred Ndidi says the Super Eagles can’t afford to miss out on a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the last edition of the World Cup hosted by Qatar.
The three-time African champions lost out to their perennial rivals Black Stars of Ghana in the playoff.
With the ticket to the 2023 Africa Cup Cup of Nations already in the bag, Ndidi stated that the Super Eagles will now work hard to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup finals.
“This win (against Sao Tome and Principe) is a good one for us. It will serve as a morale booster ahead of the World Cup qualifiers,” Ndidi told reporters.
“It was painful not to play at the last World Cup in Qatar. The fans were really disappointed in us and we can’t afford to fail them again.
“We just have to keep working hard as a team and hopefully things will be in our favour.
The Super Eagles are in the same group as Lesotho, South Africa, Benin Republic, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.