Okocha warns Super Eagles players of lasting pain if they miss 2026 FIFA World Cup

Super Eagles Legend Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha has sent a strong message to the current Super Eagles squad, warning them about the emotional backlash of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Despite being filled with top talents such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, and Victor Boniface to name a few, the Super Eagles have found themselves in a tough spot in their World Cup qualification campaign.

Nigeria continues to struggle in Group C of the African FIFA 2026 WC qualifiers. With just seven points from their six matches, the Super Eagles trail behind Group leader South Africa with 6pts and also behind Rwanda and Benin, who have all picked up one more point than the Super Eagles.

Drawing from his own painful experience of missing out on the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Okocha offered a personal reflection to underline the gravity of the situation, he said;

“It is a dream for every player to play in the World Cup. Personally, not qualifying for the 2006 World Cup still haunts me. I still feel bad whenever I remember it because it could have been my fourth,”

He continued, “People don’t realize sometimes that players are the ones that feel it the most, because it is their job, their dream,”

Nigeria missed the last FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, and back-to-back absences would be a significant blow for both the players and the nation.