Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel has for the umpteenth time demanded the immediate resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership, labelling the country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup an “unacceptable” disaster.
The former Chelsea’s midfielder remarks come in the wake of a devastating qualification campaign that saw Nigeria miss out on the global showpiece for the second consecutive time. The Super Eagles’ hopes were dashed last November following a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the second round of African qualifying.
Mikel, who earned 89 caps and represented Nigeria at both the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, expressed his frustration over the decline of the national team’s prestige.
“When you have a country as big as Nigeria, with such a massive population and a deep-rooted football culture, failing to qualify for the World Cup twice in a row is incredibly painful,” Mikel stated in an interview with Athletic Nigeria.
He claimed that the repeated failures are a symptom of deep-seated administrative issues rather than just bad luck on the pitch. He insists that the current leadership has exhausted its mandate.
“I’ve said it many times: the people running the FA should all resign,” Mikel urged. “There has to be accountability. We cannot keep making the same mistakes and expecting different results. It is time to make way for new ideas to rebuild the national team.”
Mikel also warned that Nigeria is losing its status as a continental powerhouse. He pointed toward the Morocco national team as the gold standard for strategic growth in Africa, noting that their investment and long-term planning have left Nigeria in the shadows.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
