Former Super Eagles captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, has disclosed that Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho asked him why Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria’s hopes of featuring at the global tournament were dashed after Eric Chelle’s men lost the African play-off final to DR Congo.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Okocha commended ex-teammate John Mikel Obi for openly criticizing the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).“Kudos to you, John Mikel, you’re speaking up against the Nigerian Federation,” Okocha said.
“I live in Nigeria, and the NFF president is my friend, so it’s difficult to speak up. I get asked by my colleagues like Ronaldinho why Nigeria hasn’t qualified for the World Cup.”
His remarks shows the disappointment felt both within Nigeria and among international football stars over the Super Eagles’ absence from the tournament.
