Chelsea legend John Mikel Obi said the Super Eagles must win their two remaining matches if they stand a chance of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The former Super Eagles captain said the players must ignore all distractions from the Nigeria Football Federation and focus on the games at hand.

The 2013 AFCON winner said the world football governing body created an opportunity by deducting three points and three goals from South Africa, who fielded an ineligible player against Lesotho on March 21, per BBC.

He claimed that playing five draws in the qualifiers put Nigeria in this current predicament, which could have been avoided.

Mikel Obi, on behalf of Nigerians, made a special appeal to the current squad to give their best when they play against Lesotho and the Benin Republic.

He said: “Lucky us, South Africa have been deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player so that is good for us.

"We have Benin Republic at home and Lesotho away, Nigeria must win both. I don't care what us going on, I need the players (Nigerians need them), I don't speak about the national team because I know what is happening.

"The players should just win the two games and we can talk about the whole thing. I am begging the players on behalf of Nigerians.

"Five draw is not so good because we drew against Lesotho; I never played them when I was in the national team. We used to play against South Africa, Ghana, Cameroon, Zambia, Algeria to qualify for the World Cup; we drew so many games."

UEFA Champions League winner John Mikel Obi said the Super Eagles possess one of the best teams in the world. Mikel Obi explained that Nigeria have not produced such quality of players in a long time.

He said: “I believe so much in this squad, we have (on paper) some great players, and amazing team. You talk about defence (we never had such players in a long time), midfielders, and attackers. We have the main man back in Turkey scoring goals. I am sure the players will do everything possible to see that we qualify. "I know the players are watching.

I don't want them to think I am harsh on them. I was very demanding during my playing days because I expected my teammates to do what I told them to do." Nigeria are currently having their first training session at the Peter Mokaba stadium per Daliy Post.

“We love our football. We love, absolutely love, our football. It’s going to be a crime if Nigeria do not make it for the second time in a row to the World Cup," Mikel Obi to Super Eagles via Obi One Podcast.

Nigeria’s #WorldCup2026 dream hangs by a thread:

⚽ 9 goals scored, 7… pic.twitter.com/9Jdg0RlGoH

— Football 411 (@football__411) October 7, 2025