Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi says Nigeria must “take responsibility” and fight their way to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, warning that another failure to qualify would be “a crime.”
Nigeria sit third in Group C with 11 points from eight matches and face decisive fixtures against Lesotho and Benin Republic in their final qualifiers.
“It’s going to be a crime, an absolute crime, if Nigeria doesn’t make it to the World Cup again,” Mikel said on The ObiOne Podcast. “Our World Cup fate is in the players’ hands. They have to win these two games — no excuses.”
Eric Chelle’s side play Lesotho at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday before hosting Benin Republic next Tuesday.
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