Photo : Leon Balogun congratulates Black Stars players in dressing room after 1-1 draw vs Nigeria

Published: March 31, 2022

Leon Balogun cut a forlorn figure after the final whistle as Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar following a disappointing 1-1 draw at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Tuesday evening.

After a tense second leg, Balogun laid down on the turf, burying his face in his hands and had to be comforted by a Ghanaian player.

The upcoming World Cup in Qatar was likely to be his last major tournament for the Super Eagles as he would be 38 years by the time the 2026 edition holds in United States, Canada and Mexico.

Despite the disappointment on the Super Eagles missing out on the World Cup, Balogun later managed to put his emotions to one side and visited the Black Stars players in their dressing room to congratulate them on qualifying for the mundial.

The Ghana Football Association have uploaded on their official YouTube page a video of the Super Eagles center back shaking the hands of the Black Stars players and officials.

Over the two legs, the Rangers star didn't do too badly, helping the Super Eagles post a shutout in Kumasi and came very close to scoring a winner in Abuja but saw his header miraculously saved by goalkeeper Joseph Wollacott.

Balogun was a key member of the Nigeria squad to the last World Cup in Russia, going the distance in all the matches contested by the national team and won a penalty in a 2-1 loss to Argentina.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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