Chelsea legend John Terry has revealed that former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel is deeply disappointed by Nigeria’s failure to qualify for this year’s FIFA World Cup.
Speaking during a virtual media roundtable on SuperSport, the former England defender expressed his disappointment at not seeing Nigeria among the teams competing at the tournament, praising the country's wealth of football talent.
“Nigeria will be a big miss,” Terry said.
“I would have loved to see a top team like Nigeria at the World Cup because they have some great individuals.”
Terry then jokingly suggested that Mikel’s frustration stems from the fact that Nigeria’s absence has limited his opportunities to be involved in World Cup commentary and analysis.
“I know Obi is very upset that they are not there,” Terry added.
“It means he can’t do more commentating on the World Cup. That is why he was upset.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway today, but Nigeria will not be among the participants after failing to secure qualification for the global showpiece.
The Super Eagles’ absence marks another disappointment for Nigerian football fans, who had hoped to see the three-time African champions compete on the biggest stage in world football.
