Nigeria national football team

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Nigeria

Nickname(s)

Super Eagles

Association

Nigeria Football Association

Confederation

CAF (Africa)

Head coach

Shaibu Amodu

Captain

Nwankwo Kanu

Most caps

Mudashiru Lawal (86)

Top scorer

Rashidi Yekini (37)

Home stadium

Abuja Stadium

FIFA code

NGA

FIFA ranking

Highest FIFA ranking

5 (April 1994)

Lowest FIFA ranking

82 (November 1999)

Elo ranking

Highest Elo ranking

14 (May 31 2004)

Lowest Elo ranking

87 (December 27 1964)





First kit





Second kit

First international

Nigeria 2 - 0 Sierra Leone

(Lagos, Nigeria; 8 October 1949)

Biggest win

Nigeria 10 - 1 Benin

(Lagos, Nigeria; 28 November 1959)

Biggest defeat

Ghana 7 - 0 Nigeria

(Accra, Ghana; 1 June 1955)

World Cup

Appearances

3 (First in 1994)

Best result

Round 2, 1994 and 1998

African Nations Cup

Appearances

15 (First in 1963)

Best result

Winners, 1980 and 1994

Confederations Cup

Appearances

1 (First in 1995)

Best result

4th, 1995

Men’s Football
Olympic medal record
Gold	1996 Atlanta	Team

The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Association. According to FIFA's rankings, Nigeria, at 45th, are currently the 6th best team in the African continent. The highest position ever reached on the ranking was 5th in April 1994.

1 History
2 Under-21s and under-17s
3 Nigeria Football Achievements
- 3.1 World Cup record
- 3.2 African Cup of Nations record
4 Current squad
- 4.1 Recent call-ups
5 Famous players
6 Manager history
7 Top 10 Goalscorers
8 Recent results
9 Friendly Matches:
10 External links

[edit] History

Nigeria played their first game in October 1949, whilst still a British colony. The team's first major success was a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games, with 3rd place finishes in 1976 and 1978's African Cup of Nations to follow. In 1980 the team had such players as Leyton Orient's John Cheidozie and the Tunji Banjo, and the Christian Chukwu-led Super Eagles won the Cup for the first time in Lagos. In 1984 and 1988, Nigeria reached the Cup of Nations final, losing both times to Cameroon. Three of the four African titles won by Cameroon have been won by defeating Nigeria. Missing out to Cameroon on many occasions has created an intense rivalry between both nations. Two notable occasions; narrowly losing out on qualification for 1990 World Cup and then the controversial final of the 2000 African Nations Cup where a goal scored by Victor Ikpeba during a penalty shoot out was disallowed by the referee.

Nigeria reached the World Cup for the first time in Football World Cup 1994.They were managed by Clemens Westerhof who is commonly considered to be the best coach to have ever lead Nigeria. Nigeria topped their group which included Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece. In their first game Nigeria defeated Bulgaria 3-0, lost to Argentina 2-1, and qualified for the second round after a 2-0 defeat of Greece. In the second round Nigeria played Italy and took the lead with a goal from Amunike at 25 min. Nigeria were within 1 minute of qualifying for the Quarter finals of 1994 World Cup in the game against Italy but Roberto Baggio scored to take the game to extra time. He also scored the eventual winning goal.

In 1998 Nigeria returned to the World Cup alongside Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, and South Africa. Optimism was high due to their manager Bora Milutinovc and the return of most 1994 squad members. In the final tournament Nigeria were drawn into group D with Spain, Bulgaria, Paraguay. Nigeria scored a major upset by defeating Spain 3-2 after coming back twice from being 1-0 and 2-1 down. The Eagles qualified for the second round with win against Bulgaria and loss to Paraguay. Their hopes of surpassing their 1994 performance was shattered after a 4-1 loss to Denmark.

Th 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea Japan, saw Nigeria again qualify with optimism. With a new squad and distinctive pastel green kits the Super Eagles were expected to build on their strong performances in the 2000 and 2002 African Cup of Nations. Nigeria were drawn into group F with powerhouses Sweden, Argentina, and England. They started their first game against Argentina with a strong defence and kept the first half scoreless. However in the 61st minute Gabriel Batistuta breached the Nigerian defense to put Argentina in the lead 1-0 and win the game. Nigeria's second game against Sweden saw them take the lead but later lose 2-1. There was little consolation when Nigeria drew 0-0 with England and bowed out in the first round.

Nigeria missed out on qualification for the 2006 World Cup to Angola. Both teams finished level on points in the group but Nigeria even with a greater goal difference missed out due to their inferior head to head record against Angola. Nigeria won the African Nations Cup twice (1980 and 1994), and also won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

[edit] Under-21s and under-17s

Nigeria's Under 17 youth teams won the inaugural Under-16 World Championship in 1985 and the Under-17 (the age limit was raised) title in 1993 and in 2007. The under 17 team is known as the Golden Eaglets while the Under 21 team is known as the Flying Eagles.

Nigeria's Flying Eagles qualified for the first time to represent Africa in a Junior World Cup in Mexico. Although, Nigeria did not go beyond the first round, having lost 0-3 to Brazil, it beat the highly rated USSR 1-0 and held the Netherlands to a goalless draw.

In 1985, Nigeria's under-17 football team went to China and conquered the world in the first ever FIFA U-17 World Championship. The victory took Nigerian football to a high pedestal, setting the stage for a respect of Nigeria in international competitions. To prove a point of Nigeria's new found strength in football, the nation's under-20 team went to Saudi Arabia for the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1989 and lost narrowly in the final to Portugal.

The "miracle of Damman" (Saturday, February 25, 1989), Nigeria's victory over USSR at the quarter final stage; after trailing four goals behind and with only twenty nine minutes left, stunned the world during the championship. Chris Ohenhen scored two freekick goals; the first was an indirect kick with 29 minutes left (assist Dimeji Lawal) and the second was a direct freekick with 15 minutes to go. Samuel Elijah scored Nigeria's third goal with 8 minutes remaining. Nduka Ugbade scored the game tying goal two minutes later. Nigeria won the penalty shootout to complete the miracle comeback with scores from Chris Ohenhen, Mutiu Adepoju, Dimeji Lawal, Peter Ogaba, and Samuel Elijah. Emeka Amadi saved one of the kicks from the Soviets.

In 2007, the under-17 squad carted were crowned world champions in South Korea for the 3rd time.

[edit] Nigeria Football Achievements

African Cup of Nations: 2

1980, 1994

All-Africa Games: 1

1973

Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1

1995

CEDEAO Cup: 1

1990

Olympic Gold Medal Atlanta '96

African Youth Championship: 5

1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005

African Under-17 Championship: 2

2001, 2007

FIFA U-17 World Cup: 3

1985, 1993, 2007

[edit] World Cup record

1930 to 1958 - Did not enter
1962 - Did not qualify
1966 - Withdrew
1970 to 1990 - Did not qualify
1994 - Round 2
1998 - Round 2
2002 - Round 1
2006 - Did not qualify

[edit] African Cup of Nations record

1957 - Did not enter
1959 - Did not enter
1962 - Withdrew
1963 - Round 1
1965 - Did not enter
1968 - Did not qualify
1970 - Withdrew
1972 - Did not qualify
1974 - Did not qualify
1976 - Third place
1978 - Third place
1980 - Champions
1982 - Round 1

1984 - Second place
1986 - Did not qualify
1988 - Second place
1990 - Second place
1992 - Third place
1994 - Champions
1996 - Withdrew from tournament
1998 - Disqualified for failure to participate in 1996
2000 - Second place
2002 - Third place
2004 - Third place
2006 - Third place
2008 - Quarterfinals

[edit] Current squad

The folloeing players were called for the friendly match against Austria on May 27, 2008 and 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Pos.	Player	DoB (Age)	Caps	Goals	Club
GK	Vincent Enyeama	29 August 1982 (1982-08-29) (age 25)	35	0	Hapoel Tel Aviv
GK	Dele Aiyenugba	20 November 1983 (1983-11-20) (age 24)	8	0	Bnei Yehuda
GK	Greg Etafia	30 September 1982 (1982-09-30) (age 25)			Moroka Swallows

DF	Onyekachi Apam	30 December 1985 (1985-12-30) (age 22)	2	0	Nice
DF	Uwa Elderson Echiéjilé	January 20, 1988 (1988-01-20) (age 20)	0	0	Stade Rennais
DF	Yusuf Mohamed	November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05) (age 24)			Al-Hilal
DF	Joseph Yobo	6 September 1980 (1980-09-06) (age 27)	50	2	Everton
DF	Taye Taiwo	16 April 1985 (1985-04-16) (age 23)	26	7	Marseille
DF	Obinna Nwaneri	19 March 1982 (1982-03-19) (age 26)	18	1	FC Sion

MF	Kalu Uche	15 November 1982 (1982-11-15) (age 25)			UD Almería
MF	Lukman Haruna	4 December 1990 (1990-12-04) (age 17)	2	0	AS Monaco
MF	Christian Obodo	11 May 1984 (1984-05-11) (age 24)			Udinese
MF	John Obi Mikel	22 April 1987 (1987-04-22) (age 21)	16	1	Chelsea

FW	Ikechukwu Uche	5 January 1984 (1984-01-05) (age 24)	5	1	Getafe
FW	John Utaka	8 January 1982 (1982-01-08) (age 26)	30	5	Portsmouth
FW	Kayode Odejayi	21 February 1982 (1982-02-21) (age 26)	1	0	Barnsley
FW	Peter Odemwingie	15 July 1981 (1981-07-15) (age 26)	20	5	Lokomotiv Moscow
FW	Nwankwo Kanu	1 August 1976 (1976-08-01) (age 31)	68	13	Portsmouth
FW	Yakubu Aiyegbeni	22 November 1982 (1982-11-22) (age 25)	36	16	Everton
FW	Victor Anichebe	23 April 1988 (1988-04-23) (age 20)	0	0	Everton
FW	Victor Nsofor Obinna	25 March 1987 (1987-03-25) (age 21)	7	1	Chievo Verona
FW	Emmanuel Okoduwa	21 November 1983 (1983-11-21) (age 24)			Dynamo Kyiv

[edit] Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Nigeria squad in 2008.

Goalkeepers

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
Austin Ejide	April 8, 1984	SC Bastia	12 (0)	v. Ghana, 3 February 2008

Defenders

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
Danny Shittu	September 2, 1980	Watford	12 (0)	v. Ghana, 3 February 2008
Ifeanyi Emeghara	March 24, 1984	Steaua Bucharest	2 (0)	v. Ghana, 3 February 2008
Rabiu Afolabi	April 18, 1980	Sochaux	10 (1)	v. Benin, 29 January 2008

Midfielders

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
Dickson Etuhu	June 8, 1982	Sunderland	2 (0)	v. Ghana, 3 February 2008
Seyi Olofinjana	June 12, 1980	Wolverhampton	17 (0)	v. Ghana, 3 February 2008
Richard Eromoigbe	June 26, 1984	FC Khimki	4 (0)	v. Ghana, 3 February 2008
Onyekachi Okonkwo	May 13, 1982	FC Zürich	8 (0)	v. Ivory Coast, 21 January 2008

Strikers

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most Recent Call up
Stephen Makinwa	July 26, 1983	Lazio	6 (0)	v. Mali, 25 January 2008
Obafemi Martins	October 28, 1984	Newcastle United	21 (13)	v. Mali, 25 January 2008

Pos.	Player	DoB (Age)	Club
DF	Kingsley Udoh	7 December 1990 (1990-12-07) (age 17)	Akwa United
DF	Efe Ambrose	8 October 1988 (1988-10-08) (age 19)	Kaduna United
MF	Oladapo Olufemi	11 May 1988 (1988-05-11) (age 20)	Boavista

[edit] Famous players

1970s -

1980s -

1990s -

Uche Okechukwu
Daniel Amokachi
Finidi George
Victor Ikpeba (African Footballer of the Year 1997)
Emmanuel Amunike (African Footballer of the Year 1994)

Sunday Oliseh
Jay-Jay Okocha (A member of FIFA 100)
Garba Lawal
Peter Rufai
Mutiu Adepoju
Taribo West
Nwankwo Kanu (African Footballer of the Year 1996, 1999)
Tijjani Babangida
Celestine Babayaro
Julius Aghahowa

2000s -

[edit] Manager history

Team managers of Nigeria and the dates they took over.

Date appointed	Manager name
2008	Shaibu Amodu
2008	James Peters
2007 - 2008	Berti Vogts
2005 - 2007	Augustine Eguavoen
2002 - 2005	Christian Chukwu
2002	Adegboyega Onigbinde
2001 - 2002	Shaibu Amodu
1999 - 2001	Johannes Bonfrere
1999 - 1999	Thijs Libregts
1998 - 1998	Bora Milutinović
1997 - 1998	Monday Sinclar
1997 - 1998	Philippe Troussier
1996 - 1997	Shaibu Amodu
1995 - 1996	Johannes Bonfere
1994 - 1995	Shaibu Amodu
1989 - 1994	Clemens Westerhof
1987 - 1989	Paul Hamilton
1988 - 1989	Manfred Hoener
1985	Patrick Ekeji
1984 - 1986	Chris Udemezue
1983 - 1984	Adegboyega Onigbinde
1981	Gottlieb Goller
1979 - 1982	Otto Gloria
1970 - 1971 & 1974	Heinz Marotze
1974 - 1978	Jelisavčić 'Tiki' Tihomir
1972 - 1973 & 1963 - 1964	George Penna
1969 - 1970	Peter 'Eto' Amaechina
1965 - 1968	Joseph Ember
1964 - 1965	Daniel Anyiam
1961 - 1963	George Vardar
1960 - 1961	Moshe Beth-Halevi
1956 - 1960	Les Courtier
1954 - 1956	Daniel Anyiam
1949	John Finch

[edit] Top 10 Goalscorers

List of Nigeria's top ten highest ever international goalscorers.

Goal scored	Player name
37	Rashidi Yekini
24	Segun Odegbami
17	Sunday Oyarekhua
16	Yakubu
16	Samson Siasia
15	Thompson Usiyan
14	Jay-Jay Okocha
14	Julius Aghahowa
13	Nwankwo Kanu
13	Obafemi Martins