Former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna has admitted that the absence of Nigeria's Super Eagles has been one of the noticeable talking points at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Speaking during SuperSport's virtual World Cup media roundtable, the former France international described Nigeria's failure to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup as a major disappointment, given the country's status as one of Africa's traditional football powerhouses.
Sagna, who is part of SuperSport's World Cup broadcast team and featured at two FIFA World Cups during his playing career, revealed that the reality of Nigeria's absence struck him shortly after arriving at the tournament.
"Nigeria remains one of the biggest African nations," Sagna said.
"When I landed, I saw Alex Iwobi, and I was like, 'Shouldn't you be on the field?' Then I realised they had not qualified."
The former defender stressed that possessing talented players alone does not guarantee success on the international stage.
"Having great players doesn't make a team and doesn't make you win games," he stated.
Despite the disappointment, Sagna urged Nigerian supporters to continue backing the national team during difficult periods rather than turning against the players.
"It is not a shame not qualifying. Yes, it is a disappointment, but players need support."
He also highlighted the crucial role fans play in motivating players, recalling how Arsenal often drew inspiration from their supporters during challenging moments.
"The fans have no idea how much supporting the team helps the players."
"How many times did we turn situations around because of the fans? Not because of us."
Sagna also praised the remarkable progress of African football, insisting the continent has significantly reduced the gap on the traditional powerhouses of Europe and South America.
He pointed to Morocco's recent achievements as evidence of what sustained investment in youth development can produce, singling out the Mohammed VI Football Academy as a model for long-term success.
"In 2009 and 2010 they created the Mohammed VI Academy. The fruits of that investment are reflecting now," he said.
"Those kids playing now were probably 12, 13 or 14 years old when the investment started."
According to Sagna, countries aspiring to compete consistently at the highest level must prioritise grassroots development and infrastructure.
"If you want to have a quality team, you need to focus on development."
"You can have good intentions, but without the funds to create the right environment, good pitches, healthcare and education, it becomes very difficult."
Looking ahead to the latter stages of the tournament, Sagna backed France to challenge strongly for the title despite their hard-fought Round of 16 victory over Paraguay.
"I still believe France has a good chance to win the World Cup because the national team never started a competition on the high. It has always been a build-up. It was the case in 2018, again in 2022 and again today."