Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has played down the chances of Nigeria qualifying for the knockout rounds of the 2018 World Cup, saying that the national team were in Pot 4 during the draw for the mundial.

The German also pointed out that the Super Eagles are the lowest ranked country in Group D, with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland ahead of them in the latest Fifa rankings.

''We have a difficult group with Argentina, Croatia, and Iceland, to which we came from the fourth basket,'' Rohr said to Przegląd Sportowy.

''This shows that we are considered to be the weakest team in the group. Leaving the group will be a miracle. You can not expect the 52nd team in the FIFA ranking to win against the top teams.''

Rohr agreed that Nigeria have better players than Iceland but stated that it would be difficult to beat Argentina and Croatia.

''To get out of the group, you need to overtake not just one team.

''In November, we defeated Argentina in a friendly and everyone in the country fell into euphoria.

''But you have to remember that the opponents played without Messi. And it's like beating Poland without Lewandowski.

''On the other hand, we have the youngest team at the World Cup and with this youth you can do a lot. The outsiders role suits us,'' added the former Bayern Munich defender.

Too bad

That's just the bitter truth. Displacing Croatia to qualify won't be an easy one at all. As for Argentina their spot is untouchable.

We have a chance.

Then please don't bother going to waste our resources abeg

Conceding defeat even before the games is appalling from rohr, why did he say that? That means he didn't believe we can beat Argentina in d last friendlies, so what then is he telling our boys? Just to go there and play without a winning mentality? What else will he tell them since he has already given the group to the other teams ranked ahead of us? Abeg who ranking help? Rohr fall my hand o

What an unintelligent statement from a national football coach. He could have simply said Nigeria stands a chance to make it to the next round just like any other team in that group because football is not a 100% predictable game. In other words, he could have simply said the group is surrounded by uncertainties and therefore it will be too early to make a conclusion. He should be sacked already for being a coward and conceding defeat even before getting to 'Russia 2018'!