Jay-Jay Okocha, the legendary former PSG and Hull City midfielder, has expressed his belief that the Super Eagles must win every remaining match in their World Cup qualification journey to stand a chance of making it to 2026.
Despite the daunting challenge ahead, with South Africa leading the group and being tough opponents in their home ground, Okocha remains hopeful.
“If we want to give ourselves any chance of qualifying, we have to be thinking of winning all our remaining matches,” Okocha told iDiski Times.
“Of course Bafana Bafana are top in the group; it will be a difficult game to play, but of course we still believe that we can go there and win.”
The Super Eagles, who are currently trailing South Africa by five points in Group C, face a critical battle in their upcoming qualifiers. South Africa sit at the top with 13 points, followed by Rwanda with eight points, while Nigeria has dropped crucial points, leaving them in fourth place.
Okocha acknowledged the challenges ahead, but emphasized that these are the type of matches that the Super Eagles must win if they are to qualify for 2026.
“If we want to qualify, those are the games that we need to win. I believe that we can win there, but it’s definitely not going to be easy,” Okocha added.
As the qualifiers approach, the Super Eagles’ remaining fixtures include crucial clashes against Rwanda, South Africa, Lesotho, and Benin. The Bafana Bafana, on the other hand, will face Lesotho and Nigeria in their remaining games.
With the race for a spot at the 2026 World Cup intensifying, Okocha’s message is clear: the Super Eagles must deliver a perfect run if they are to overcome South Africa’s advantage and secure their place in the global showpiece.
