Former Nigeria international John Mikel Obi has said Super Eagles winning next month’s AFCON will not make up for their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mikel insisted the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board must resign immediately for failing in their primary responsibility.
Speaking on his The Obi One Podcast, Mikel said: “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. 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 thinking 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 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup star added that Nigerian fans have been denied the opportunity to watch Victor Osimhen at the World Cup.
Also Read: Super Eagles Move To 38th Position In Latest FIFA Ranking
“It’s a shame that you can’t see a striker in his prime, in his prime, absolutely on fire, it’s not going to be in the World Cup. Haaland knew about it. 28 years or 30 years, they haven’t been in the World Cup? He knows.
“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 in the World Cup, in the biggest stage. On the biggest stage, yeah. On the biggest stage, that’s where he belongs. And it’s a shame that we can’t see our best striker in Africa be in that biggest stage, competing, showcasing his talents, scoring goals for our country, for our nation, Africa, Nigeria.”
The Super Eagles will miss World Cup qualification again following their defeat to DR Congo in the playoffs.
After settling for a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra-time DR Congo triumphed 4-3 on penalties.
The Congolese will now feature at next year’s intercontinental playoffs in Mexico in the March.
By James Agberebi
9 Comments
Desabre, coach of DRC is already among the lineup of coaches that will potentially take over from SA’s Hugo Broos after world cup next year.
See what a forward thinking football federation is doing already, 7 months ahead.
Nigeria, on the other hand, just gave Chelle a mandate to reach the final of AFCON to remain in his job in January.
That means, he’s been set up to fail but I can bet money that even NFF don’t have a succession plan.
If Chelle picks largely the same team that ended our WC campaign last week, he will hopelessly fail because very enterprising teams with great momentum are in afcon.
Never say never, AFCON winning teams are expected to not lose in 7 matches even though the last winners CIV rose from the dead to scatter that fallacy.
I don’t know whether Chelle should fail or win. If he changes his squad wholesale, good, I’ll like him to win.
If he doesn’t, that’s his best route out of the national team setup but the current NFF with a penchant of doing the wrong things comfortably at the right time, will look for another Labbadia fiasco again.
NFF can’t revive our football as it stands. Tough!
September 2026 when Gusau tenure elapses is too far oh. Even though he got a FIFA appointment, he must not be insensitive enough (he is insensitive sha) to attend the same world cup he made the eagles fail to qualify.
Why don’t we have a barometer to measure performance here?
Kudos to CSN for being more patrioric in recent days. I guess the Wcup miss ihas taken its toll.
Chelle is a good coach and can become better. The nff was bad and corrupt under Pinnick, and has gotten worse and demonic under Pinnick chosen Gusau, if this trend is allowed to continued, your guess of what to expect is a no brainer…
*continue*
Mikel Obi, forget about winning the AFCON! The current squad paraded by Chelle may not even get past the group stage, or round of 16 at best if they meet the likes of Senegal, Cameroon, Morroco, Egypt, Congo Dr, Algeria at that stage.
Apart from Osimhen, Frederick, Akor and 2 or 3 others- the SE team is no where near the level of the top teams currently in Africa- particularly an awful midfield and poor-leggy wingers. We urgently need younger, fitter, energetic, pacier wingers- the likes of Sani Suleiman and Ogbole, currently playing in Esperance of Tunisia.
Chelle need to do some serious searches for 2 younger, fitter midfielders, especially ones that can progress the ball and score goals, not leaving goal scoring duties to tightly marked Osimhen or the Strikers alone.
Winning 2 million AFCONs Won’t Make Up For 2026 World Cup Miss.
Nonsense!
It is shame we aren’t gonna be there. I assume the players might not realize now the damage of not being at the World Cup.
In all honesty, we didn’t play with a purpose.
As Nigerian, especially living at the United States, I am hurt.
The officials have to go for the interest of football development.
Mikel said some things that needed to be said in this podcast. It took courage to come out like that and speak out. There are many who have a voice but are silent. Our house is on fire, yet their lips remain sealed.
Replying Mikel, winning afcon will adequately compensate for the consecutive world cup miss. Why?
We won bronze in 2019.
We took silver in 2023.
If we struck gold next month, it will paper over the cracks in the team temporarily.
After all, we know we aren’t at world cup levels to scale new heights yet but on the continent, we will still be fearsome if we did so.
Doing it ahead of Morocco, Algeria, Senegal etal will be surreal and will create a cacophony across the world on what might have been if the Osimhens or Lookmans (abi na lookmen lol), as African champions, had graced the world cup.
Besides, winning gold, silver and bronze medals will be wonderful memorabilia for those players who were around in 2019 afcon.
And that will also boost our rankings for a while as there will be 2 other afcon competitions in 2027 and 2029 before 2030 world cup begins.
So, why not pack the very relatable trophies on cue?
Mikel shd go and seat down somewhere, winning the AFCON will surely heal the WC wound a bit, I will take AFCON trophy ahead of going to the WC and crash out from the group stage which is going to be the case of most Africa teams going to the WC anyway, Expecially that our lousy and noisy neighbor, yes the WC incentive/ money is tempting but I will take AFCON cup to hold body I beg.
Chelle took over the SE when we are ranked 45th and latest ranking we’ve improve to 38th, Eric might not be the best but he is for sure not the worst, if we can’t afford A-list coach, we shd stick with him biko.