On March 29, 2022, at the Moshood Abiola national stadium in Abuja, Nigeria hit rock bottom. The Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their World Cup play-off against Ghana, who progressed to the Qatar tournament on away goals.
It was the first time Nigeria had failed to qualify for the World Cup since 2006, and chaos erupted after the final whistle. Home fans invaded the pitch and threw objects at both Ghana players and the small group of visiting supporters, with police forced to used batons and tear gas to try and disperse the crowd.
As per Al Jazeera, two dugouts were overturned, the doors of the presidential box were smashed, and cars outside the stadium were vandalised on a night that cast a shadow over African football. Augustine Eguavoen subsequently stepped down from his role as head coach, with Portuguese tactician Jose Peseiro drafted in as his replacement, and it's been a long road to redemption for Nigeria since then.
However, one man who has never stopped believing in a revival is Victor Osimhen. He insisted this Nigeria squad is still destined for "greatness" amid the painful fallout from their failed 2022 World Cup bid.
And now, as the Super Eagles close in on their first Africa Cup of Nations title since 2013, the Napoli superstar's prediction suddenly feels realistic. Nigeria are back with a vengeance, and might just be ready to become the dominant force in African football again.