Former Super Eagles defensive midfielder John Ogu has pointed fingers at the people responsible for Nigeria's absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 37-year-old represented the Nigerian National team 25 times, scoring two goals. He was also in Gernot Rohr's 2018 FIFA World Cup squad and the AFCON 2019 bronze-winning team.
While many have pointed fingers at the Nigerian Football Federation for their failure to provide a stable environment for players and coaches to thrive, Ogu thinks otherwise.
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John Ogu faults Super Eagles players for World Cup miss
Jose Peseiro failed to secure a win for Nigeria in their play-offs before his contract with the Super Eagles expired, and his successor, Finidi George, failed to secure a victory as well and was fired three months into his appointment.
Eric Chelle was appointed in January 2025 and was tasked with leading Nigeria to the World Cup, an ask that would prove too much to achieve, despite his efforts to salvage a qualifying campaign with a play-off that ended on penalties against DR Congo.
The NFF was called out by many, leading them to issue a public apology to the President of the country, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for their failure to secure a spot in a 48-nation Mundial.
Speaking on Bet9ja's Home Turf podcast, Ogu issued an opinion opposing the majority of the Nigerian populace, regarding the World Cup absence of the Super Eagles.
“Hold the players responsible, because when I was in the Super Eagles, I was there for years. The NFF provided the best welfare for us to deliver.
“Don't put the blame on the NFF, put it on the players too. I'll say they should share the blame equally.
“I'll fault the Federation because of the faulty structure, but they do try, they provide the best hotels, make sure we get our bonuses. They do their best, even though it might not be enough.
“Blame the players. NFF do their best,” the three-time Isreali Champion concluded.
With the World Cup out of the picture, the Super Eagles will participate in the 2026 Unity Cup next month, before taking on Poland and Portugal in June.
