Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has said that even if Nigeria wins next month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), it will not fully make up for the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea midfielder expressed deep disappointment over Nigeria’s shocking elimination and insisted that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board should take responsibility and resign.
“But does it 100% make it up for it [winning the AFCON]? I don’t think so, because we want to see ourselves in the World Cup,” Mikel said.
“I said it: if we do not qualify for the World Cup, the NFF, the whole board has to go. They have to go, because you can’t keep repeating the same mistake every time and think something is going to change. It’s just going to be the same results. If you have the same people doing the same thing and failing all the time, and you give them one more time, no.”
The former midfielder, who represented Nigeria at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, lamented that fans have been denied the chance to watch Victor Osimhen on football’s biggest stage.
“It’s a shame that you can’t see a striker in his prime – absolutely on fire – at the World Cup,” he said. “As one of the best strikers in the world, he has to be in the World Cup. He has to be, because that’s where he belongs: competing on the biggest stage. And it’s a shame that we can’t see our best striker in Africa competing, showcasing his talents, scoring goals for our country.”
Nigeria’s World Cup hopes ended after a dramatic playoff loss to DR Congo. The match finished 1-1 after regulation and extra time, before the Congolese edged the Super Eagles 4-3 on penalties. DR Congo will now advance to the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico next March, keeping their World Cup dream alive.
