Odion Ighalo has taken responsibility for Super Eagles 2-1 loss to Argentina in the last Group D match in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday.
Ighalo, who missed a couple of chances in the all-important match told TheCable he apologised to the entire nation and teammates after the game.
He also rued the clear chances he had which he failed to utilise. “I apologise to Nigeria. I apologise to my team mates,” Ighalo said.
“I take responsibility for this game because I had taken those chances I had that would have made it a different ball game now.
“But that is football and life has to continue. The Changchun Yatai’s captain expressed sadness for the ouster of the team from the World Cup.
“It’s a sad day for me, the boys and the country because we went out in a bad manner and we deserved more in the game,” he said.
“We had a penalty in the game and another one which the referee did not give.
“I missed a couple of chances that would have finished the game but that’s football because sometimes you win and sometimes to lose.”
Ighalo, however, stated that he is ready to take whatever criticism that is directed at him for the chance he lost to score the winning goal that would have seen Nigeria defeat Argentina for the first time in the World Cup.
“Nobody criticised me, it’s a teamwork. We are 23 players fighting for a single thing. Even if I am criticised, I’ll take it in good faith,” he said.
“Criticism is part of football because if you are not criticised you won’t do well. I am ready to take any criticism that will come upon me now and life has to go on. And we still have a better day ahead.
“I am very proud of the team today because we put up a good fight from the start to finish.”
Osbert Nduka
June 27, 2018 at 8:42 am
Missing scoring chances in a soccer game portends loss of such game. Nigeria’s lot.
Furo Brown
June 27, 2018 at 9:40 am
Please please you have made us so sad, we don’t need any talk from you now.
Ali Oluwatayo Samuel
June 27, 2018 at 9:51 am
Medicine after death
Gbolahan Benjamin
June 27, 2018 at 10:34 am
medicine after death, we don’t need ur apology a striker that can’t deliver
damilare gideon
June 27, 2018 at 10:47 am
please and please we dont need any talk from you now you make us so sad ,i was regret i was born in this country…. so stupid player…after you be claiming your self you good.
ottih
June 27, 2018 at 1:40 pm
It is very bad for someone to play against his own team.. that is what you did. you did it in Iceland match and repeated it again in Argentina game.. Ighalo, you are very wicked just because you were not started before musa and stupid iheanacho..
Ighalo
June 27, 2018 at 8:46 pm
FIFA is full of cheat.
Esential
June 27, 2018 at 4:03 pm
U really tried ur best… Kudos to u….
James
June 27, 2018 at 4:41 pm
We don’t blem u ,after all u play ur football in China n we don’t expect anything gud other dan fake things from China
ibkay
June 27, 2018 at 8:49 pm
Can anybody on this page tell me when last did this dude scored for Nigeria….it’s a shame that a nation of over 190mil people cannot be bost of a potent striker.
sheaku
June 27, 2018 at 8:55 pm
firstly with tears in my heart may thunder from thunder from the bottomless pit of hell fire kill the ref and his entire generation for accepting bribe from Argentina.
secondly, messi no matter how much u tried u will never carry world cup u are a cheat instead may God bless CR7 to win it I hate u with passion.
thirdly, ighalo or what ever u called ur self don’t try to play naija game again because I personally will bomb ur family to ashes abi u no believe boko u buch of disgrace.
fourthly, naija we get players make we no dey depend on all this China made players na me sheaku king of BOKOHARAM.
Ola2
June 27, 2018 at 9:52 pm
this guy is not a striker even KELECHI nwakali and USMAN Mohammed that were left behind are better than him.He has finished his career in Nigeria without celebration like KANU, Okocha,we need hungry strikers not lazy striker
UB
June 27, 2018 at 9:56 pm
it is OK. you guys tried. just work on your self to be a deadly striker. you can still be a very dangerous striker, just work on your self through hardworking.
Egbeokaruwa Anthony
June 28, 2018 at 6:24 am
Why is Nigerians always different, how many of you commenting rubbish here can do what they did, are they the first or only term to come home?, did Germany 🇩🇪 not go home, did the rest Africa term not go home before us, did they kill them?, ungrateful bastard. You were hailing muss not quiet long but now you are against them. IGHALO You have nothing to apologize for after all its just a game. NOR BE UNA SET START TO DEY LOOSE WORLD CUP, WHEN DEM EVEN WIN THE CUP LAST AND WHO DEM KILL FOR THE FAILURE?????