Sunday Oliseh claims late coach Joe Erico stripped naked and cursed the Super Eagles after being sidelined in 2002, blaming it for Nigeria’s poor form

Sunday Oliseh, former Super Eagles midfielder and captain, has made a startling revelation, claiming that the late coach Joe Erico once stripped naked and laid a curse on the Nigerian national team following the events surrounding the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

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Oliseh, speaking on the Home Turf Podcast, suggested that Erico’s alleged curse could be responsible for the team’s ongoing struggles, including their faltering bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The 51-year-old, who captained the Eagles at the 2022 African Cup of Nations, helped Nigeria qualify for the World Cup that same year but was later dropped from the final squad over disciplinary issues.

He recalled how the late Festus Onigbinde was brought in as head coach after Shuaibu Amodu, Stephen Keshi, and Joe Erico had successfully guided the team back from five points behind Liberia to secure qualification.

Despite their efforts, Nigeria’s World Cup campaign in South Korea and Japan ended in disappointment, with the team failing to win a match or score a goal before crashing out in the group stage.

Oliseh disclosed that Erico, who felt betrayed by the treatment meted out to him and his colleagues, had performed a symbolic act of anger and grief.

“Coach Erico made it very clear before his death that what they did to us in 2002 — he sat down in his room naked and cursed Nigeria,” Oliseh said. “He was a great man, a lovely human being who gave everything for the national team.”

The former captain praised the unity and determination that defined the team during Erico, Keshi, and Amodu’s reign.

“Keshi phoned me from the United States while I organised the players, and gradually, we built ourselves,” he added. “Everyone had written us off when we were five points behind Liberia, but under them, we became one again.”

The revelation has sparked widespread reactions among fans, with many debating whether Oliseh’s claim was a metaphor for the team’s misfortunes or a reflection of long-held spiritual beliefs within Nigerian football.

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As the Super Eagles battle to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Oliseh’s remarks have reignited discussions about the challenges facing the team from management instability to morale and belief.