Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has strongly condemned Nigeria’s failure. He called the inability to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup an “absolute shame.” Mikel insisted this disappointment is inexcusable under any circumstances.

The former Chelsea midfielder stated clearly that a potential AFCON triumph cannot overshadow this World Cup miss.

“Does it 100% make up for it? I don’t think so,” he remarked. “Nigerians want to see our team in the World Cup. I have consistently said that if we fail to qualify, the NFF board must resign. You cannot repeat the same mistakes expecting different outcomes.”

Mikel criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for consistent administrative failures. “It will lead to the same results,” Obi stated. “If the same people repeatedly fail, giving them another chance makes no sense.”

Impact on Nigerian Football and Fans

Mikel lamented the denial for Nigerian fans. They cannot watch the country’s top striker shine globally. He believes poor administration should never cost such an opportunity.

“It’s a shame,” Obi declared. “You cannot see a top striker, absolutely in his prime and on fire, playing in the World Cup.”

He compared Nigeria’s situation to global stars. Countries fight hard to qualify for the World Cup. “Haaland understood this,” Mikel noted. “Norway had not qualified for 28 or 30 years. As one of the world’s best strikers, he had to be there. That is where he belongs.”

Mikel stressed that Nigeria’s leading forward deserves the same honour. “It’s a shame we cannot see our best striker in Africa,” the former Super Eagles star said. “They should be on that biggest stage. They should be competing, showcasing talent, and scoring goals for Nigeria and Africa.”

Call for Immediate Reforms and NFF Overhaul

Obi warned of the need for immediate reforms. The AFCON tournament is just weeks away. “For me, moving forward, we must discuss this,” he asserted. “Yes, time is short before the Nations Cup. But these changes are absolutely necessary. They simply must be made.”

Mikel Obi emphasized that without overhauling the football leadership, nothing would improve.

Reiterating his long-held stance, Mikel demanded the NFF board “must step aside.” He described their performance as a complete failure of duty. “They will continue to fail,” he predicted. “Their sole job was to qualify for the World Cup. They completely messed it up. They had one responsibility: to take the team to the World Cup. They failed utterly.”