Nigeria’s football crisis has deepened after the Super Eagles failed to reach the 2026 World Cup, a second consecutive absence from the global showpiece and one of the country’s biggest icons says he is ready to step in.
Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has signalled he would consider taking up a leadership role within the Nigeria Football Federation, insisting he is willing to help rebuild the game if the system is cleaned up and run transparently.
The ex Chelsea midfielder, long vocal about the decline of Nigerian football, said he felt “deep disappointment” over the federation’s handling of the national teams, frustration that mirrors the mood across the country. Nigeria last qualified for a World Cup in 2018, and missing back to back tournaments for the first time since 1990 has amplified calls for sweeping reform.
The rot runs deeper than the senior side. Nigeria’s age grade teams have endured an unprecedented slump: the Olympic Eagles absent from two straight Games, the Flying Eagles knocked out early at the U20 World Cup, and the Golden Eaglets missing consecutive editions of both the U17 AFCON and U17 World Cup. All this against a backdrop of persistent corruption claims targeting past and present NFF leadership.
Mikel made it clear that any willingness to serve would depend on real change.
“One thing I’ve always done since my early days is fight for the country,” he said. “I don’t know how many players have done that like I have, from U17, U20, all the way to the senior team.
“Years of sacrifice. I’ve never said no to my country. When I can help, I will always be ready. But I won’t have corruption tied to me. If I’m going to say yes, things must be done properly.
“Get the right people, people with the same direction, so when players come home to play, there’s a good environment for them to perform.”
Mikel remains one of Nigeria’s most decorated footballers, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 2012 Champions League during his 11 year spell at Stamford Bridge. His international career spanning 14 years, five AFCONs, two World Cups and an Olympic bronze cemented him as one of the most influential figures in Nigerian football history.
Now, as the clamour for change grows louder, Mikel has positioned himself as part of the solution but only on his terms.