Former Nigeria international and ex-captain of the Super Eagles, Joseph Yobo, has expressed strong confidence in the national team’s ability to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Yobo emphasized that despite recent setbacks in the qualification campaign, the Super Eagles still have a fighting chance, provided they focus on unity, resilience, and grinding out results.
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Speaking at a recent charity event in Lagos, Yobo noted that qualifying for the World Cup is no longer about style or flair but about achieving results under pressure.
“We don’t have time to play beautiful football right now. It’s about winning, even if it’s a scrappy 1-0,” he said. “We have to grind out results, stay together, and believe.”
Nigeria is currently in fourth place in Group C of the African qualifiers, with seven points from six matches. They trail group leaders South Africa by six points, with four games left to play.
The group also includes Rwanda, Benin Republic, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Lesotho. Only the top team qualifies automatically, while four best runners-up advance to the intercontinental play-offs.
Despite a disappointing first half of the campaign, Yobo believes the atmosphere among the players remains positive and that the team can recover. “The belief is there. The talent is there. Now we just need synergy and that fighting spirit,” he said.
Yobo urged the Nigeria Football Federation and fans to give the team full support, noting that criticism and negativity could hurt morale. “This is not the time for blame; it’s the time for solutions,” he added.
Nigeria’s next qualifying match is against Malawi in early September 2025, in what could be a pivotal game in their bid to revive World Cup hopes. It marks the beginning of the final four matchdays of the group stage
