Watching the French national team today is a delight for any football enthusiast. From Kylian Mbappé to Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki and William Saliba, France possesses one of the most exciting collections of football talent in the world. Looking at such a squad, one cannot help but ask: What about Nigeria? I will come back to that shortly.
But football is not simply about assembling big-name players. It is about managing talent, building chemistry and creating a winning culture.
France itself offers a valuable lesson. After conquering the world by winning the FIFA World Cup in 1998 under Aimé Jacquet, expectations were understandably high. Yet just four years later, with Roger Lemerre—Jacquet’s former assistant—in charge, the defending champions suffered one of the greatest disappointments in World Cup history, crashing out in the group stage without winning a single match.
That experience reminds us that talent alone does not guarantee success. Great teams require vision, planning, leadership and the ability to get the very best from exceptional players.
Former French international Thierry Henry recently described the current French squad as a team of “alphas”—players blessed with enormous confidence, personality and ability. Yet what stands out is not just the quality of the individuals but their collective focus. Every player understands the objective, and every match is approached with the mentality of winning convincingly.
That collective focus is no accident. It is being guided by Didier Deschamps, a serial winner who understands exactly what it takes to succeed at the highest level. As captain, he led France to its historic first FIFA World Cup triumph in 1998. Twenty years later, he repeated the achievement as head coach by guiding France to the 2018 World Cup title. Few people in world football understand winning like Deschamps. His greatest achievement may not simply be producing talented teams, but transforming a dressing room full of superstars into a disciplined, united and relentlessly competitive side.
So, what should Nigeria learn from this?
First, success requires long-term planning. But planning alone is not enough. There must be a clear football philosophy, strong leadership and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Nations that consistently succeed on the global stage do not begin preparing a few months before a tournament; they build structures that produce winning teams year after year.
This is why I am encouraged by some of the initiatives currently being pursued by the National Sports Commission. The drive to strengthen the Nigeria National League through improved remuneration and better professional standards is an important step towards building a stronger domestic game. Equally significant is the focus on the Under-23 national team under Eric Chelle. If properly developed, that team can become the bridge between youth football and the Super Eagles, creating continuity in player development and ensuring that Nigeria always has a new generation of talent ready for international competition.
However, football development cannot be left to the football authorities alone. The Federal Government must provide clear direction for Nigerian sports. Around the world, successful football nations thrive because governments create long-term sports policies, invest in youth development, modern sporting infrastructure, coaching education and talent identification. Those policies remain consistent regardless of changes in administration.
Nigeria needs a clearly defined national football strategy with measurable goals. Qualification for the Olympic Games should become a national priority, not an afterthought. Preparation for the FIFA World Cup should begin immediately after one qualifying campaign ends, with every age-grade national team working within the same football philosophy so that players can seamlessly progress to the senior national team.
Nigeria has never lacked talented footballers. Our challenge has never been talent; it has been building the structures that consistently transform that talent into international success.
France has shown that while gifted players are essential, they are only part of the equation. Lasting success comes from vision, planning, proven leadership and a shared commitment to excellence.
If Nigeria can build those same foundations—and if the Federal Government provides the strategic direction to unite every stakeholder behind a common objective—there is no reason the Super Eagles cannot once again become one of the world’s most respected football teams.
The talent is already here. What is needed now is the vision to harness it.
Chika Udenkwo, is a renowned broadcast journalist, author and sports enthusiast
