Says “I would love to see countries like Nigeria at the World Cup”
by Ajewole Joshua|ABNews| September 7, 2025
Former Ivorian international and football legend, Didier Drogba, has publicly thrown his weight behind Nigerian icon Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha to become the next President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Speaking in an interview with ESPN Sports, Drogba emphasized the need for African football bodies to be managed by people who have a deep understanding of the game rather than politicians or businessmen with little to no football experience.
“If what is going on in Nigerian football governing bodies is genuinely true, then I am fully in support of Jay-Jay Okocha emerging as the NFF Chairman,” Drogba said. “We need to change many things going wrong in football in our different African countries. Those in charge should be people whose lifestyle revolves around football, not politicians or businessmen. Cameroon and several other African nations are good examples of what happens when this isn’t the case.”
Drogba also expressed his admiration for Nigeria’s footballing talent, describing the Super Eagles as a team with the potential to compete at the highest levels if given proper leadership and structure.
“I would love to see countries like Nigeria at the World Cup because they have the squad that can go beyond the group stages. Qualifying is one thing, but standing tall against two strong European countries is another. That’s why we need the best teams with the best squads to make it to the tournament,” he added.
The former Chelsea striker urged Nigerian football fans to unite behind Okocha, insisting that his appointment could bring much-needed reforms to the sport.
Drogba’s endorsement comes amid growing calls for reform within the NFF, with many stakeholders pushing for experienced footballers like Okocha to lead the federation and restore Nigeria’s dominance on the continental and global stage.
If elected, Okocha would be tasked with tackling issues such as grassroots development, financial mismanagement, and ensuring Nigeria’s consistent qualification and competitiveness in major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup.
