Nigeria football legend Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has issued a heartfelt warning to current Super Eagles stars, including Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, as the team risks missing another FIFA World Cup—just as it did under his captaincy nearly 20 years ago.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star, who led Nigeria in 2005, still carries the pain of failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Despite boasting one of Africa’s strongest squads then, the Super Eagles lost their spot to Angola, falling short in a crucial qualifier in Kano.
“It is a dream for every player to play in the World Cup,” Okocha told Soccernet.ng during a recent Bundesliga roundtable.
“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.”
Is this a repeat of 2006?
Fast forward to today, and Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign is in similar danger. The Super Eagles sit fourth in Group C, trailing behind South Africa, Benin, and Rwanda, with only seven points from six games—a historically poor return for a nation that has qualified six times since its debut at USA ‘94.
The Super Eagles have now fallen SIX points behind South Africa in Group C. — SIX POINTS! #WorldCupQualifiers pic.twitter.com/3TVzzhQxih
— Soccernet.ng (@soccernet_ng) March 26, 2025
With world-class talent across the pitch, including Lookman (the reigning African Player of the Year), Osimhen (the 2023 winner), Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, and Victor Boniface, the current crop was expected to dominate after reaching the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final. Instead, they’re fighting to avoid another heartbreak.
“They will be very disappointed if they don't make it,” Okocha warned.
“People don't realize sometimes that players are the ones that feel it the most—because it is their job, their dream.”
As the pressure mounts, the question remains: Will history repeat itself, or will the Super Eagles rise and reclaim their place on football’s biggest stage?
