Former Super Eagles captain Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha has voiced strong belief in Nigeria’s ability to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite their difficult start to the qualifying campaign.
Speaking on The Exchange with Femi Soneye, the Nigerian football legend, who represented the country at three World Cups, said he remains confident that the current squad has the quality and determination to overcome their earlier struggles and book a place at next year’s tournament in North America.
Okocha Confident in the Super Eagles’ Quality
The Super Eagles began their qualification journey on shaky ground, managing only three points from their opening four fixtures — a run that included three draws and a loss to Benin Republic. However, under coach Eric Chelle, the team turned things around impressively, collecting 14 points from a possible 18 in their final six games.
Okocha believes that turnaround proves the team’s fighting spirit.
“Once there is a glimmer of hope, of course I will believe,” Okocha said. “Sometimes you have to do it the hard way.”
“The Players Know What’s at Stake”
The former PSG and Bolton Wanderers midfielder also emphasized that the players understand the weight of expectation from millions of Nigerians.
“The players feel it the most. It’s their job — they don’t have any other job at the moment — so of course they would all love to play in the World Cup,” he explained.
He added that recent performances, including Nigeria’s emphatic victory over Benin’s Cheetahs, show a team eager to make amends.
“From their last outing, you could see the desire to correct their mistakes. They have given us hope,” he said.
Playoff Push Restores Hope
Nigeria’s late revival was capped by Frank Onyeka’s decisive volley on matchday ten, a goal that secured the team’s spot in the World Cup playoffs and reignited national optimism.
Although Okocha admitted that the team “made things harder for themselves,” he maintained that belief, resilience, and experience will see them through the final hurdle.
