Nigeria, April 10 -- Former Super Eagles midfielder Etim Esin has revealed how missing out on Nigeria's 1994 World Cup squad pushed him into depression and drug abuse, describing the episode as the most painful moment of his career.

Once thought of as one of Africa's most brilliant football players and tipped to propel Nigeria into a new era, Esin's voyage went down a rough path when he was left out of Clemens Westerhof's historic team. Nigeria made its first showing on the international scene during the tournament, so the oversight was even more difficult to bear.

Esin claimed the Letgo destroyed him psychologically and left him with difficulty managing the loss of a lifelong ambition. He confessed that the circumstances sent him into ...