Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, has urged the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to step down following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Mikel also called on the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the team’s inability to top a qualifying group that included Rwanda, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Benin Republic and South Africa, stressing that steps must be taken to prevent a repeat of such failure.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder, who earned 89 caps for Nigeria and represented the country at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, expressed disappointment that the Super Eagles will miss the global tournament for the second consecutive time.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 finals ended in November after the team lost to DR Congo on penalties in the second round of the African qualifiers.
Speaking in an interview published by talksport.com, Mikel described the situation as unacceptable for a country of Nigeria’s size and football pedigree, insisting that those in charge of the NFF must take responsibility.
He said it was a major setback for a nation with a population of over 300 million people and one of the strongest football teams on the continent to fail to qualify for the World Cup twice in a row.
According to him, the leadership of the federation, including its president Ibrahim Musa Gusau, should resign to allow for reforms that will help Nigerian football move forward.
Mikel also warned that while other African countries are making significant progress, Nigeria appears to be falling behind.
He pointed to Morocco’s steady development in football as an example of how proper planning and administration can produce results, adding that Nigeria should be setting the pace rather than regressing.
Despite the setback, Nigeria still has a slim chance of qualifying for the tournament. The NFF has filed a petition against DR Congo, accusing the team of using ineligible players during the African playoff final last year.
FIFA is expected to deliver its ruling on the matter before the inter-continental playoff scheduled to take place in Mexico later this month.
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