Nigeria coach Eric Chelle said he noticed behaviour that looked like voodoo during the match.
He explained that the strange actions unsettled him as the penalty shootout unfolded.
Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has accused a member of DR Congo’s backroom staff of performing strange acts during the penalty shootout that ended the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup.
Nigeria lost 4–3 on penalties in Rabat, Morocco, after both sides played out a 1–1 draw over 120 minutes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. The defeat means the Super Eagles will miss the World Cup for the second time in a row.
While speaking to reporters after the match, Chelle said he became uncomfortable with the behavior he observed near the DR Congo technical area during the video assistant referee review that led to a penalty decision. A video shared by ESPN Africa on X on Monday captured the coach explaining why he reacted the way he did on the touchline.
He said he noticed a DR Congo staff member repeatedly making unusual hand movements throughout the review and the shootout. According to Chelle, the repeated action unsettled him and contributed to his tense reaction in the final moments of the game.
“During the penalty decision, a guy from Congo did something strange every time,” he said, explaining that the individual appeared to be spraying an unknown substance into the air.
Chelle added that he could not confirm what exactly was being used but said the behavior caught his attention and left him frustrated as the pressure of the shootout built.
The Nigeria coach did not link the actions to the outcome of the match, but his comments have added new debate to the dramatic end of the World Cup playoff.
