Legendary Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has expressed confidence that the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2026 World Cup via the Playoffs.

The Super Eagles will open their Playoffs Campaign Thursday against Gabon in Rabat, Morocco.

Okocha has now backed the team to get out of the hole they put themselves after an underwhelming start to the qualifying campaign two years ago.

“I still trust this team, I still believe it’s possible (to qualify for the World Cup),” said the former international, who featured at three World Cups.

“We put ourselves in this situation and we are the only ones who can bring ourselves out of it.”

He added: “Once there is a glimmer of hope, of course I will believe and that is the beauty of football.

“Sometimes you have to do it the hard way. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

He said it is now on the players to get the job done.

“The thing is the players feel it the most. It’s their job, they don’t have any other job at the moment, so of course they would all love to play in the World Cup,” he offered. (The Sun)