The Nigeria national football team, known as the "Super Eagles", represents Nigeria in international association football and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). They are three times African Champions, with their recent title in 2013, defeating Burkina Faso in the final.
During April 1994, the Super Eagles ranked 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, the highest FIFA ranking ever achieved by an African football team. They have qualified for five of the last six FIFA World Cups, except for the 2006 hosted in Germany and they reached the round of 16 three times. They made their first World Cup appearance in the United States in 1994.
History
After playing other colonies in unofficial games since the 1930s,[3] Nigeria played its first official game in October 1949, while still a British colony.
The team played warm up games in England against various amateur teams like Dulwich Hamlet, Bishop Auckland and South Liverpool. The team's first major success was a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games, with 3rd-place finishes in the 1976 and 1978 African Cup of Nations to follow. In 1980 the team had such players as Leyton Orient's John Chiedozie and Tunji Banjo, and the Muda Lawal/Christian Chukwu-led Super Eagles won the Cup for the first time in Lagos. Nigeria won the men's football event at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, beating Mexico, Brazil and Argentina in the process. They were runners up in the same event, losing to Argentina in a rematch of the 1996 event.
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 the 1990 World Cup and then the controversial final of the 2000 African Cup of Nations where a goal scored by Victor Ikpeba during a penalty shoot out was disallowed by the referee.
FIFA World Cup
1994 World Cup
Nigeria finally reached the World Cup for the first time in 1994 after years of struggling to get there. They were managed by Clemens Westerhof. Nigeria topped their group which included Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece. Nigeria defeated Bulgaria 3–0, lost to Argentina 1–2, and reached the second round after a 2–0 victory over Greece. In the second round Nigeria played Italy and took the lead with a goal from Emmanuel Amunike at 25 minutes. Nigeria were within two minutes of qualifying for the Quarter-finals of the 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. The game ended 2–1 in favour of the Italians.
1998 World Cup
In 1998 Nigeria returned to the World Cup alongside Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, and South Africa. Optimism was high due to its manager Bora Milutinović 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 a win against Bulgaria and a loss to Paraguay. The team's hopes of surpassing its 1994 performance was shattered after a 1–4 loss to Denmark.
2002 & 2006 World Cups
The 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, saw Nigeria again qualify with optimism. With a new squad and distinctive pastel green kits the Super Eagles were expected to build on its strong performances in the 2000 and 2002 African Cup of Nations. Nigeria were drawn into group F with powerhouses Sweden, Argentina, and England. The first game against Argentina started with a strong defence that kept the first half scoreless. In the 61st minute Gabriel Batistuta breached the Nigerian defence 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. Nigeria then drew 0–0 with England and bowed out in the first round.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup after finishing level on points in the qualification group with Angola, but having an inferior record in the matches between the sides.[4]
2010 World Cup
On 14 November 2009, Nigeria qualified for the 2010 World Cup after defeating Kenya by 3–2 in Nairobi.[5]
Nigeria lost its opening match against Argentina 1–0 at Ellis Park Stadium following a Gabriel Heinze header in the 6th minute.[6] In its second game Nigeria led early on by a goal from Kalu Uche. A red card against Sani Kaita gave Greece the advantage. Greece scored the equaliser late in the first half and Nigeria conceded the second goal in the second half and lost the game 2–1. In their last group stage match against South Korea, Nigeria took an early lead in the 12th minute off of a great finish by Kalu Uche after a low cross from Chidi Odiah.
However, goals from Lee Jung-Soo and Park Chu-Young gave South Korea a 2-1 lead, which looked to be enough for South Korea to advance into the round of 16. However, Nigeria got a chance in the 66th minute that the Super Eagles will probably never forget.
On the end of a pass from Ayila Yussuf that was fed through the South Korean defense was none other than Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Once the pass found Yakubu's foot about four yards away from the empty goal, Yakubu pushed the ball wide of the left post to keep South Korea ahead 2-1. Three minutes later, Yakubu was able to calmly finish a penalty to knot the score at two apiece, but the damage was done as Nigeria was unable to score again and the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
With this result, Nigeria was eliminated from the 2010 World Cup with just one point, while South Korea advanced into the round of 16 with four points. On 30 June 2010, following the team's early exit and poor showing, the then President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan suspended the national football team from international competition for two years.[7] This suspension put the team at risk of being banned from international football by FIFA for reasons of political interference.[8]
On 5 July 2010, the Nigerian government rescinded its ban of the national football team from FIFA/CAF football competitions,[9] but the sanction of suspension was applied by FIFA some three months after.[10] On 4 October 2010, Nigeria was indefinitely banned from international football due to government interference following the 2010 World Cup.[10] Four days later, however, the ban was "provisionally lifted" until 26 October, the day after the officially unrecognised National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF) dropped its court case against the NFF.[11]
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
Nigeria's campaign opened with a disappointing 0-0 draw over Iran. Four days later the team played their second game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. A 29th-minute Peter Odemwingie's controversy goal gave Nigeria their first World Cup win since 1998. They faced Argentina some days later : a 3rd minute Lionel Messi goal for the opposition was followed almost instantly with an equalizer by Ahmed Musa. Messi gave Argentina the lead back just before half-time. In the second half Musa leveled the game out again, Lionel Messi was substituted and handed over his captaincy to Marcos Rojo only for Marcos Rojo to put Argentina 3-2 ahead minutes later. Nigeria lost the match, but still qualified for the round of 16.
In the Round of 16 Nigeria faced France, an 18th-minute stabbed shot from Emmanuel Emenike saw the ball in the net, past the French goal-keeper but the goal was ruled off-side by the linesman. Nigeria held them off until the 79th minute when a cross and a Paul Pogba header gifted France the lead. An accidental own goal by Super Eagles Captain Joseph Yobo in injury time put the result beyond any doubt: Nigeria was out. This is the third time Nigeria is eliminated in the round of 16 and they were not still able to enter the Quarter-finals in the FIFA World Cup.
World Cup record
- Notes
- ↑ All African nations withdrew due to a lack of qualifying berths.
Africa Cup of Nations record
1963 - 1978
Nigeria first appeared in the Africa Cup of Nation in 1963, They were drawn in a group with Sudan, and the then United Arab Republic, They did not advance to the next stage.
The team withdrew from two African Cup of Nations between 1963 to 1974, due to political instability. In 1976, they came back to the Cup of Nations with third-place finishes in both the 1976 and 1978 Africa cup of Nations
1980 - 1990
Nigeria hosted the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations and also won their first Africa Cup of Nations Title that year in Lagos. Nigeria came out as runners up three times and had one group stage elimination, between 1982 to 1990. They also failed to qualify for the 1986 African cup of Nations hosted by Egypt.
1992 - 2006
Nigeria appeared again in the African cup of Nations in 1992 and 1994, they finished third in 1992 and won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, which was the second time they won the tournament. In 1996 the team withdrew from the tournament due to the political tensions in the country as at that time, they were also banned from entering the 1998 African Cup of Nations. In 2000 they returned to the Cup of Nations and took the runners up. they later finished third place In the 2002, 2004 and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations respectively.
2008 - 2015
In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria ended their campaign in the quarter finals after losing to Ghana. They qualified for 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Angola, but were eliminated by Egypt in the semi-finals. They failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after ending on a 2-2 draw against Guinea with goals from Ikechukwu Uche and Victor Obinna.
The super Eagles of Nigeria during the 2013 AFCON in South Africa
Nigeria came back with full force in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by South Africa; after playing through the tournament with an unbeaten run, they confronted Burkina Faso in the finals to lift the Cup for the third time. However, they did not qualify for either of the next two tournaments.[13]
| Host nation(s) / Year |
Round |
Position |
GP |
W |
D* |
L |
GS |
GA |
.svg.png) 1957 | Did Not Enter |
 1959 |
.svg.png) 1962 | Withdrew |
.svg.png) 1963 | Group Stage | 6th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
 1965 | Withdrew |
| 1968 | Did Not Qualify |
| 1970 | Withdrew |
.svg.png) 1972 | Did Not Qualify |
.svg.png) 1974 |
.svg.png) 1976 | Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 10 |
 1978 | Third Place | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 |
 1980 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
.svg.png) 1982 | Group Stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
 1984 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
 1986 | Did Not Qualify |
 1988 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
 1990 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
 1992 | Third Place | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 |
| 1994 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 |
 1996 | Withdrew |
 1998 | Banned |
| 2000 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 5 |
 2002 | Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 2004 | Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 |
| 2006 | Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| 2008 | Quarter-Finals | 7th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
 2010 | Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
  2012 | Did Not Qualify |
| 2013 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| 2015 | Did Not Qualify |
| 2017 |
 2019 | To be determined |
| 2021 | To be determined |
 2023 | To be determined |
| Total | 3 Titles | 17/29 | 86 | 45 | 22 | 19 | 120 | 84 |
- *Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.
FIFA Confederations Cup
Nigeria have only been in the FIFA confederations cup two times, first in 1995 some months after they took their second African Cup of Nations Title. The second time Nigeria came to the FIFA Confederations Cup was in 2013, where they lost to both Spain and Uruguay in the last two group stage matches after beating Tahiti 6-1 in their first match.
Team Honours and Achievements
- Winners (3):
1980, 1994, 2013
- Runners-up (4):
1984, 1988, 1990, 2000
|
Intercontinental
Continental
Sub-Continental
|
Other
- WAFU Unity Cup
- Jalco Cup / Azikiwe Cup[16][17]
- Winners: 1951, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958
- Runners-up: 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967
- LG Cup1[18]
- Winners: 2003
- Runners-up: 1997, 2004
- Fourth-place: 2004
- Dakar Tournament[19]
- Addis Abeba Anniversary Tournament[20]
|
|
- 1There were three editions of the LG Cup held in 2004 in April, August and October.
Recent Nigeria Results
Kit history
On 23 April 2015, Nike was announced to be the current supplier of Nigeria's kits after Adidas ended their kit contract with the Nigeria Football Federation.[24][25] Before that, Nike supplied Nigeria's kit between 1998 to 2003.
Coaching staff
Current squad
The following players were named to the squad for the friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg on 27 May and June 1.[26]
Caps and goals current as of 29 Mar. 2016 after match against Egypt.
All caps/goals against FIFA members only.
Recent call-ups
The following players have also been called up to the Nigeria squad within the last 12 months.
[28][29][30]
- INJ: Withdrew because of an injury.
- PRE: Preliminary squad.
- RET: Retired from international football.
All Time Player Records
- As of 30 March 2016
Managers
Source[32]
References
- ↑ Courtney, Barrie. "Sierra Leone – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ↑ After 1988, the tournament has been restricted to squads with no more than 3 players over the age of 23, and these matches are not regarded as part of the national team's record, nor are caps awarded.
- ↑ Nigeria's First Football Captain
- ↑ Nigeria’s Elimination from 2006 World Cup: We Got What We Deserved
- ↑ "Kenya 2–3 Nigeria". ESPN. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- ↑ "Argentina 1–0 Nigeria". BBC. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
- ↑ "Nigeria president suspends team". BBC Sport. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ↑ Adigun, Bashir; Gambrell, Jon (30 June 2010). "Nigeria's president suspends soccer team". USA Today. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ↑ "Nigerian government rescinds ban". ESPN Soccernet. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-00.
- 1 2 "Fifa issues world ban to Nigeria". BBC News. 4 October 2010.
- ↑ "Fifa lifts Nigeria's suspension". BBC Sport. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
- ↑ "VIII WORLD CUP (ENGLAND 1966) QUALIFYING STAGE". Lingua Sport. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ↑ "Afcon 2017: Nigeria fail to qualify after defeat by Egypt". BBC Sport. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ↑ West African Soccer Federation Championship (1959-67) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ WAFU Unity Cup (2005) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ Jalco Cup (1951-1959) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ Azikiwe Cup (1961-1967) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ LG Cup Four Nations Tournament (1997-2006) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ Dakar Friendly Tournament (1975) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ Addis Abeba 25th Anniversary Tournament (1983) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ Ethiopia International Tournament (1992) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ King Hassan II Tournament (1996-2008) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ Nelson Mandella Inauguration Challenge Cup (1994-2013) rsssf.com. Retrieved 21-12-2013.
- ↑ "NIKE PARTNERS WITH THE NIGERIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION". Nike. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ↑ "Nigeria Ends Kit Renewal Deal with Adidas". This Day. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ↑ "Yusuf invites 26 players for Mali, Luxembourg". NFF. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ↑ http://www.espnfc.com/nigeria/story/2835919/john-obi-mikel-named-nigeria-captain-replaces-ahmed-musa
- ↑ "Oliseh calls 23 home -boys for Tanzania". Nigeria Football Federation's (thenff) Official Website. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
- ↑ "Oliseh calls Enyeama, 17 others for Eagles, Tanzania". Nigeria Football Federation's (thenff) Official Website. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
- ↑ "Enyeama, Obi in Eagles' 24-man list for Leopards, Lions". Nigeria Football Federation's (thenff) Official Website. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
- 1 2 Roberto Mamrud. "Nigeria - Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
- ↑ National Team Coaches/
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(5 May 2016)
Sierra Leone 0–2 Nigeria 
Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland 
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