The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has explained why the Super Eagles were absent from the bronze medal ceremony at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Nigeria secured third place on Saturday after defeating Egypt 4–2 on penalties, but the players did not remain in attendance to receive their medals after Sunday’s final between Morocco and Senegal.
Speaking on the matter, Gusau said the players were compelled to leave due to pressure from their clubs, which demanded their immediate return following the playoff match.
According to Gusau, in a post on X on Monday, the situation was not unique to Nigeria, as Egypt faced a similar challenge.
“The players could not wait to receive their medals on Sunday. Their clubs were already after them to come back after Saturday’s game,” Gusau said.
“I have the medals in my possession. And this is the case for Egypt too, not just us. Had the medal ceremony taken place on the day of the match, they would have had the medals,” he added.
Nigeria’s victory earned the country its ninth third-place finish, the highest in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Elijah Adeyemi
