- Venezuelan coach José Peseiro revealed that overwhelming stress led to his decision to step down as Super Eagles coach.
- Peseiro led the Super Eagles to an unbeaten run until the AFCON final, conceding only four goals
- The former coach expressed gratitude to Nigerian football fans and the government for their support
Former Super Eagles coach José Peseiro has finally revealed why he parted ways with Nigeria after leading the team to the 2023 AFCON final.
His decision to step down, despite coming close to winning Africa's most prestigious football tournament, was long concluded even before the AFCON final match in Côte d’Ivoire.
Despite attempts from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Sports Minister, John Enoh, to convince him to stay for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and upcoming AFCON qualifiers, Peseiro felt he had reached his limit.
His contract expired after the tournament, and negotiations for a renewal fell through, primarily due to salary demands that the NFF could not meet.
The Portuguese tactician also made it clear that his decision was made even before the final match against Côte d’Ivoire.
“I want to win AFCON for the fans, the government, and everyone, but even before the tournament, I had already decided to leave, even if I had won the trophy, I would have still left.”
Reflecting on his time with the Super Eagles team, Peseiro said,
“Nigeria was an amazing job, with good players. We played very well in AFCON. I think our team was the best until we lost to Côte d’Ivoire in the tournament.”
His tenure, while marked by a shaky start, saw significant improvement as the team went unbeaten until the AFCON final, conceding just four goals throughout the tournament. In his 22 games as Nigeria’s head coach, Peseiro led the team to 11 wins, 7 losses, and 4 draws. Although his achievements were notable, including a second-place finish at AFCON, the coach felt that the intense pressure and personal stress outweighed the success.
“Because, yes, I put too much effort into my job. Too much stress. Okay, but I gave my all, along with my staff and the players,” he said.
Since his departure, Peseiro has not yet taken on a new coaching role, despite interest from clubs in South Africa, Europe, and Brazil.
“I am waiting for a good job, for a good step. It is true there were offers from South Africa, Europe, and in Brazil as well, but I didn’t take any and feel good for those jobs,” he stated. He added that he had been contacted about the South African Sundowns job, but no concrete deal has materialized.
Eguavoen denies resignation rumours, says he’s still in charge
Previously, TheRadar reported that Super Eagles interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen had resigned from his role following Nigeria’s goalless draw against Rwanda in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
However, Eguavoen swiftly denied these claims, clarifying that no such decision has been made and that he remains fully in charge of the national team.
