Enugu Rangers’ journey in the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League came to an abrupt end after a 3-1 loss to Esperanca Sagrada in Luanda on Sunday. Despite winning the first leg of the second preliminary round 1-0 in Uyo, Rangers could not hold onto their advantage, losing 3-2 on aggregate. This defeat extends Rangers’ absence from the competition’s group stage, which they last reached 42 years ago.
Their exit leaves no Nigerian team in the CAF Champions League this season, following Remo Stars’ earlier elimination by AS FAR of Morocco in the first preliminary round, also on a 3-2 aggregate. This marks the fourth consecutive year that no Nigerian side has qualified for the competition’s lucrative group stage.
Nigerian teams have struggled to make a mark in the CAF Champions League, with Enyimba being the last Nigerian side to win the tournament, having lifted the trophy in 2003 and 2004.
Editorial
It’s deeply disappointing to see yet another Nigerian club fall short in the CAF Champions League. Enugu Rangers’ defeat underscores a broader issue facing Nigerian clubs on the continental stage. While the domestic league has produced talented players and competitive matches, these have not translated into success in African competitions. It has now been 20 years since a Nigerian team last won the CAF Champions League, and the drought seems likely to continue for some time.
The absence of Nigerian teams from the group stages for four straight seasons reflects the growing gap between the country’s football infrastructure and those of other nations. Clubs like Esperanca Sagrada and AS FAR have demonstrated greater cohesion, preparation, and financial backing, all of which seem to be lacking in Nigerian football today.
What makes this even more frustrating is the proud history Nigerian clubs once had in this competition. Enyimba’s back to back victories in the early 2000s were a testament to the country’s footballing prowess. Now, however, those triumphs seem like distant memories, with Nigerian clubs unable to keep pace with their North African and Southern African counterparts.
There needs to be a collective rethink among Nigerian football authorities, club owners, and stakeholders. Investments in infrastructure, player development, and tactical improvements must be prioritised. The talent is undoubtedly present in Nigeria, but until the clubs are better equipped, the country’s footballing legacy will remain under threat.
Our football culture has always been vibrant. We owe it to the fans and the generations of players past and present to restore Nigerian football to its rightful place in Africa. The time has come for us to re-commit ourselves to that cause.
Did You Know?
- Enugu Rangers have won the Nigerian Professional Football League NPFL seven times, making them one of Nigeria’s most successful football clubs.
- Esperanca Sagrada is an Angolan club that has risen to prominence in recent years, regularly competing in CAF competitions.
- Nigeria’s Enyimba FC is the only Nigerian team to have won the CAF Champions League, having done so in both 2003 and 2004.
- The CAF Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in African football, comparable to the UEFA Champions League in Europe.
- The last time a Nigerian team reached the CAF Champions League final was in 2009 when Heartland FC finished as runners-up to TP Mazembe of DR Congo.
