President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has clarified the reason Super Eagles players were absent from the medal presentation ceremony at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on Sunday.
Nigeria secured third place position on Saturday after edging Egypt 4–2 on penalties in the playoff match. However, the players were not on hand to receive their bronze medals following Sunday’s final between Morocco and Senegal.
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Addressing the issue, Gusau explained that the players were forced to depart immediately after the playoff due to mounting pressure from their respective clubs, who demanded their prompt return.
Gusau, who was quoted in a post on X on Monday by journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, noted that the situation was not exclusive to Nigeria, adding that Egypt faced similar challenges.
“The players could not wait to receive their medals on Sunday. Their clubs were already after them to come back after Saturday’s game,” Gusau said.
“I have the medals in my possession. And this is the case for Egypt too, not just us. Had the medal ceremony taken place on the day of the match, they would have had the medals.”
Nigeria’s win marked their ninth third-place finish at the biennial AFCON tournament, extending their record as the most successful nation in the competition’s third-place playoff history.