Former Super Eagles captain Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has revealed that Brazil legend Ronaldinho questioned why Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria missed out on the tournament after Eric Chelle’s side suffered defeat to DR Congo in the African play-off final, ending the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the competition.
Okocha made the revelation while speaking on the Obi One Podcast, where he also commended former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi for openly criticising the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“Kudos to you, John Mikel, you’re speaking up against the Nigerian Federation,” Okocha said.
According to the former Paris Saint-Germain and Bolton Wanderers star, his close relationship with NFF President Ibrahim Gusau makes it difficult for him to publicly criticise the football body.
“I live in Nigeria, and the NFF president is my friend, so it’s difficult to speak up,” he added.
Okocha said Nigeria’s failure to qualify has also become a talking point among his international football peers.
“I get asked by my colleagues like Ronaldinho why Nigeria hasn’t qualified for the World Cup,” he said.
The Super Eagles’ absence from the 2026 World Cup represents another major setback for Nige
