Onazi Warns Against Early Favorites for 2026 World Cup

Ogenyi Onazi, a representative of the Nigeria National Football Team, cautioned against declaring early favorites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that the tournament is just beginning and remains unpredictable. He referenced the poor performances of traditionally strong teams like Portugal and Spain in their opening matches, suggesting that the competition will reveal stronger teams as it progresses.

Onazi also praised Lionel Messi for his exceptional performance, which included a record hat trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria, bringing Messi's World Cup goal tally to 16 and tying him with Miroslav Klose as the top scorer in World Cup history. Onazi faced Messi in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and acknowledged Messi's consistent world-class performance.

He noted Nigeria's absence from the tournament, as the team failed to qualify, which is a significant setback for the nation.