Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has expressed his lingering disappointment over the error that cost Nigeria in the round of 16 at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as reported by Soccernet.ng.
Nigeria, under the management of Augustine Eguavoen, began the tournament on a high note, securing victories against Egypt, Guinea Bissau, and Sudan. This promising start raised fans’ hopes for a fourth AFCON title.
However, their campaign was cut short by a defeat to a struggling Tunisian side. Okoye misjudged a shot from Youssef Msakni, allowing the ball to creep past him into the net. The situation worsened when Alex Iwobi was sent off seven minutes after being substituted in, sparking outrage on social media.
Following the incident, Okoye has not returned to play for Nigeria, either not being called up or remaining on the bench. In a recent interview with Oma, Okoye opened up about the painful memory.
“At that moment, I told myself I should have done better. It pains me till today, to be honest,” Okoye said. “You could see it was a mistake because I had to keep the ball out of the goal. If I want to play at Inter Milan, then I have to do better in such situations.”
Okoye emphasized his commitment to improving his performance: “I’ve been training hard, improving in the last two years because I don’t want things like that to happen again. Mistakes happen. Last week, Manuel Neuer, who is one of the best, made a mistake. It’s part of the game, and it was hard for me as a young boy to go through it after it happened.”
Reflecting on the impact of the incident, Okoye noted the emotional toll beyond social media criticism. “I’m not just talking about what I read on social media. It’s more about the feeling of letting your teammates down, your family down, and letting your country down. At this stage, I’m not even reading the nonsense on social media anymore. Some people still talk bad about Cristiano Ronaldo despite his achievements.”
Despite the setback, Okoye remains focused on learning and growing from the experience. “I know myself that I didn’t do good in that situation, and I know that I let my teammates and my country down. And I’m still, to this day, unhappy and sad about it. I wish I could do differently, but it happened, and I learned from my mistake.”
Okoye’s candid reflection highlights the personal and professional challenges athletes face in the high-stakes world of international sports.
