Nigeria’s dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup ended painfully in Rabat on Sunday night — and the drama did not stop on the pitch.
After the Super Eagles lost 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo, head coach Eric Chelle made a surprising claim that the Congolese officials were “doing voodoo” during the shootout.
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“During all the penalty sessions, the guy from Congo did some voodoo,” Chelle told reporters in a now viral video posted on ESPN Africa X Page
“During all the penalties, the guy from DR Congo did some voodoo.”
Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle explains why tempers flared between him and the DR Congo staff at the end of the World Cup playoff final. pic.twitter.com/nMyTIcqlTT
— ESPN Africa (@ESPNAfrica) November 17, 2025
“Every time, so this is why I was a little nervous after him.”
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When asked what he saw “the Congo guy doing,” Chelle added, “Yeah, something like, I don’t know if it’s water or something like that [he was spraying it up].”
Tense match
The match itself was tense from the start. Nigeria took the lead in the 3rd minute when Frank Onyeka’s shot deflected into the net. But DR Congo fought back and equalised through Meschack Elia, and despite chances at both ends, neither side found a winner in extra time.
In the shootout, it was heartbreak again for Nigeria. Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon missed their kicks early, and although goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali kept hope alive with two saves in sudden death, Semi Ajayi later failed to convert. DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba scored the final kick to send the Leopards into the Inter-confederation playoffs.
After the winning penalty, Chelle walked straight toward the DR Congo bench, confronting coach Sébastien Desabre and members of his staff. Desabre later said the clash was “not an issue.” But Chelle told reporters that something unusual had happened.
“In all the penalties, the players of Congo were doing some voodoo,” he claimed — a remark that instantly ignited debate online.
Online reactions
Many fans dismissed the coach’s comments as an attempt to deflect from Nigeria’s performance. One user, Femi Oguntayo, questioned the logic behind the allegation, writing:
“Why den no use Voodoo beat Ivory Coast last AFCON to reach final??? Why den no use Vodoo to qualify to the World Cup directly ahead of Senegal??? Abeg, coach go and find somewhere sleep.”
Another respondent, reacting with satire, wrote:
“We needed pastor Taribo West for this game, NFA employee this as part of the coaching staff For the afcon.”
Others criticised Chelle more directly. Maazi Chinualum… described the comments as a distraction from poor tactics.
“This is heartbreaking to watch. Eric Chelle blaming ‘voodoo’ and ‘maraboutage’ from the Congolese bench instead of owning his tactics? Weak. We scored early, then parked the bus with zero ideas for 90+ minutes. No width, no midfield control, no Plan B. Congo pressed smarter,” he said.
ALSO READ: UPDATED: Nigeria fail to qualify for 2026 World Cup after loss to DR Congo
Another user, Tema Mayor BS, condemned the coach’s behaviour during the shootout.
“Your team is losing and instead of you to calm the players down you’re rather fight!ng. This coach is not serious.”
Some were even unsure whether the quote was real.
“Is this Al, or did he actually say this?” one Lingala-speaking user asked in disbelief.
What next for Nigeria?
The win means DR Congo will move on to join Bolivia and New Caledonia in the six-team playoffs coming up in March 2026. Other teams such as Iraq, Panama, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Curaçao are still in contention for the remaining slots.
For Chelle, the defeat adds more pressure as he faces growing questions about his time in charge. His results so far:
Rwanda 0–2 Nigeria
Nigeria 1–1 Zimbabwe
Nigeria 2–1 Ghana
Jamaica 2–2 Nigeria (won on pens)
Russia 1–1 Nigeria
Nigeria 1–0 Rwanda
South Africa 1–1 Nigeria
Lesotho 1–2 Nigeria
Nigeria 4–0 Benin
Gabon 1–4 Nigeria
Nigeria 1–1 DR Congo (lost 3–4 on pens)
With the World Cup now out of reach, attention will shift to how the Super Eagles regroup ahead of the 2025 AFCON where Chelle will have to prove he is capable of handling the Super Eagles.
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