Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel on Friday dismissed claims by Nigeria’s national team manager that “voodoo” was behind the side’s shock playoff defeat to DR Congo, sarcastically remarking that if black magic truly influenced football, African nations would dominate the World Cup.
Speaking on his podcast The Obi One, the Chelsea legend tore into the unnamed coach’s post-match comments, which blamed mystical interference for the penalty shootout loss that ended Nigeria’s 2026 qualification hopes.
“If voodoo worked in football, do you know how many World Cups Africa would have by now?” Mikel quipped, laughing off the suggestion. “He [Eric Chelle] was just looking for excuses, and it was honestly a ridiculous one.”
The ex-midfielder, who won 91 caps between 2005 and 2019, insisted accountability starts at the top: “We have the talent, we have the players, but when you lose you look at tactics, preparation, mentality — not juju. This kind of talk embarrasses the country and gives opponents more motivation to beat us.”
