Former Super Eagles captain and Nigerian football legend, Sunday Oliseh, has strongly criticized Nigeria’s national team after a viral video showed players celebrating their third-place finish at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
Oliseh, a key figure in Nigeria’s golden generation, described the scenes as “deeply unsettling,” warning that such celebrations signal a shift from the country’s title-driven football culture. He noted that the video even drew ridicule from African and European journalists at the tournament.
“Before the final in Rabat, a video went viral of the Super Eagles celebrating bronze. At the media tribune, journalists mocked us. They couldn’t believe it,” Oliseh said. 
He contrasted this with his era, when anything short of winning the trophy was considered failure:
“There was a time we shed tears after finishing second. Celebrating third place builds a culture of mediocrity.”
Oliseh stressed that Nigeria’s decline in dominance began when expectations dropped, urging a return to a winning mentality:
“If we want to be Africa’s best again, wild celebrations for anything less than gold must stop.”
His comments have sparked debate among fans and pundits, given his status as one of Nigeria’s most respected football figures.