Former Super Eagles captain Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has warned against setting a target of winning the 2018 World Cup for Nigeria, adding that qualifying from Group D at the Mundial should be the immediate priority for the team.

The Eagles have been charged to bring back the World Cup trophy by President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria Football Federation boss, Amaju Pinnick, a feat yet to be achieved by any African country since the inception of the global showpiece in 1930.

“Well, I think I’m not in support of the way our people set targets for our teams,” the former Paris Saint Germain and Fenerbahce midfielder said. “We get carried away because of the love that we have for the game.

“I will say that you need to look at your team and set a realistic target for them. And if they go beyond that, that’s great, because at the end of the day, you stand a chance if you get it right in football.

“So, I’m not one of those that will say that I think that they (Nigeria) will get to the final or win it or whatever.

“But at the moment, if we can come out of that group, that’s an achievement, and anything can happen after that,” Okocha, who featured for Nigeria at three World Cups (1994,1998 and 2002) said.

The Super Eagles are drawn in Group D of the 2018 World Cup in Russia alongside 2-time champions, Argentina, 1998 semi-finalists, Croatia and debutants, Iceland.