Former Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh, has warned that celebrating a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could promote a culture of mediocrity within the national team.
Oliseh made the remarks after observing reactions from African and European football pundits who mocked Nigeria’s celebrations following their bronze-medal victory over Egypt in Morocco last weekend.
The Super Eagles claimed their ninth AFCON bronze medal after defeating the Pharaohs 4–2 on penalties in the third-place playoff.
Speaking on the Global Football Insight Podcast, Oliseh said a viral video of the players jubilating over the bronze medal left many observers stunned.
“Before the AFCON final in Rabat, a video went viral showing our Super Eagles celebrating wildly after finishing third against Egypt,” he said.
“From where I sat in the media tribune, African and European pundits were openly mocking us. They couldn’t understand it.
“There was a time when finishing second at AFCON brought tears because anything short of lifting the trophy was considered failure. Celebrating third place only encourages a mindset of mediocrity.”