WCQ Drama: Voodoo Claims Emerge After Nigeria’s Heartbreaking Loss
By: Abudu Olalekan
It was wild. And a little strange.
Sunday night in Rabat wasn’t just another football clash — it turned into something way more bizarre than anyone expected. Nigeria’s Super Eagles bowed out of World Cup 2026 contention after a nerve-racking penalty shootout against DR Congo. But the real story? It came after the final whistle.
Reportersroom gathered that Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, stirred controversy by claiming that a member of DR Congo’s backroom staff tried something… unusual. His words? “Voodoo.” Yep. He said someone was doing “voodoo” behind the scenes during the tense VAR moment before the penalty decision.
It’s the kind of thing that pops up once in a while in African football. Not new, still surprising. Whenever teams lose under strange or unlucky circumstances, whispers of the supernatural creep in. But this time, it wasn’t fans gossiping. It was the coach himself.
Chelle was visibly rattled in a post-match video shared by ESPN Africa on X. He didn’t hold back. “During all the penalty decision, a guy of Congo did some voodoo… Every time. Every time. So this is why I was a little nervous after him,” he said.
What exactly did he see? Chelle used his hands to mimic some kind of ritual. He gestured toward the ground, suggesting the person might’ve been pouring something — maybe water, maybe not. “I don’t know if it’s water… or something like that,” he added, frowning.
Of course, no evidence of actual spiritual interference has been confirmed. It’s one of those things — seen but not quite seen. Felt, maybe. Or just imagined out of pure tension.
Regardless, emotions were running sky high.
The match itself had its own chaos. Nigeria started hot, grabbing an early lead through Frank Onyeka in just the 3rd minute. DR Congo hit back not long after — Meschack Elia made it 1–1 in the 32nd. Then? Deadlock. For the rest of 90… and another 30 in extra time. Both teams pushed. Neither broke through.
So it came down to penalties. That’s when hearts really started pounding.
It wasn’t clean. Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon couldn’t convert their spot-kicks for Nigeria. A key save from Stanley Nwabali gave fans a brief reason to hope — he stopped DR Congo’s first attempt, leveling the game again. And then Akor Adams, cool as you like, slotted his in to pull Nigeria back in the fight.
But DR Congo kept their nerve. Their fourth spot-kick went in. Final score? 4–3 on penalties. Nigeria’s dreams collapsed right there on the turf.
For the Super Eagles, it’s a painful déjà vu. Another World Cup missed. That’s two in a row now. And for a footballing nation like Nigeria, with its rich history and massive talent pool — it stings. Badly.
And while DR Congo moves on — now set for the intercontinental playoff, just one step away from a historic World Cup appearance in the expanded 48-team tournament set for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — Nigeria’s post-mortem begins.
Chelle, while clearly frustrated, might’ve let the heat of the moment shape his judgment. Or maybe… just maybe, he saw something that unnerved him in that critical moment. Either way, the voodoo allegation adds an unexpected wrinkle to an already emotional exit.
Reportersroom reminds readers that such claims, common in past tournaments across the continent, often come without solid proof. But they reveal something else — the intense pressure and psychology that surround high-stakes matches.
Nigeria had arrived in the final off a stunning 4–1 win over Gabon just days before. DR Congo edged past Cameroon with a narrow 1–0. Two deserving teams. But only one could move forward. This time, it wasn’t the Eagles.
Now, the Leopards await their playoff opponent, while Nigeria looks inward. Coping with another painful elimination. Searching for answers — on the pitch… and maybe beyond.
