John Terry: Super Eagles' World Cup Absence a Major Miss

Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry stated that Nigeria's Super Eagles will be a notable absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Terry emphasized that major African footballing nations like Nigeria and Cameroon are powerhouses on the continent, and their exclusion diminishes the tournament.

"Nigeria will be a big miss," Terry said during a virtual media roundtable. "This is a World Cup for participants who haven’t had the opportunity to play in the tournament. I would have loved to see the top team, like Nigeria, be there because they’ve got some great individuals."

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Nigeria will be a big miss. This is a World Cup for participants who haven’t had the opportunity to play in the tournament. I would have loved to see the top team, like Nigeria, be there because they’ve got some great individuals.

Terry, who played alongside Nigerian international John Mikel Obi at Chelsea, mentioned that Obi is upset about the Super Eagles' failure to qualify. "I know (Mikel) Obi is very upset that they (Super Eagles) are not there. It means he can’t do more commentating on the World Cup. That’s why he was upset," Terry revealed.

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I know (Mikel) Obi is very upset that they (Super Eagles) are not there. It means he can’t do more commentating on the World Cup. That’s why he was upset.

Beyond his comments on Nigeria, Terry also voiced strong criticism regarding England manager Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad selections. He disagreed with the exclusion of several key players, including Harry Maguire, Cole Palmer, and Luke Shaw. Terry believes that at least 11 players in the current England squad are not good enough for the tournament and that Tuchel made "three or four big decisions" incorrectly. He argued for the inclusion of the "best players" to ensure England has a competitive team.

John Terry is set to join SuperSport as a World Cup pundit, analyzing matches live from South Africa alongside other former football stars like Roberto Di Matteo, Bacary Sagna, Asamoah Gyan, and Salomon Kalou.

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I actually disagree, in terms of the players that Tuchel has not picked for this World Cup. Harry Maguire, being one, the first one. For me, he is a better player than Dan Burn. Luke Shaw is another one at left back. We are looking at Nico O’Reilly playing there. Cole Palmer is the next big decision as well. So I think Tuchel has got it wrong in three or four big decisions on the pitch.