President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, has shed light on the absence of Super Eagles players from the bronze medal presentation at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria secured third place on Saturday after overcoming Egypt 4–2 in a penalty shootout, but the squad did not appear at the official medal ceremony held after the final match between Morocco and Senegal the following day.
Clarifying the situation, Gusau said the players were compelled to leave immediately after the third-place playoff due to pressure from their respective clubs, which insisted on their prompt return.
He noted that Nigeria was not alone in this predicament, explaining that Egypt encountered a similar challenge with their players.
Gusau stated that the timing of the ceremony, which took place a day after the playoff, made it impossible for the team to remain in Morocco.
He added that he currently has the medals in his custody and assured that the players would receive them later.
According to him, if the ceremony had been conducted on the same day as the match, the Super Eagles would have been present to collect their awards.
