The Nigerian national team are one of, if not, the most successful African footballing nations, winning multiple honours and titles throughout their history of competing in international tournaments.
Whether you are a fan or just researching more about them, in this article, we take a deeper look into the history of the Nigerian national football team.
WHERE DO NIGERIA PLAY?
The Moshood Abiola National Stadium – formerly known as the National Stadium, Abuja – is a multipurpose national sports stadium that serves as the home to the Nigerian national football team.
WHEN DID NIGERIA FIRST PLAY?
The Nigerian national football team played other colonies in unofficial games between the 1930s and 1940s, finally playing their first official game in October 1949.
HOW MANY HONOURS HAVE NIGERIA WON?
Nigeria have won a large variety of different trophies throughout their history, including three African Cup of Nations, one Afro-Asian Cup of Nations, an African Games gold model, WAFU Nations Cup, CEDEAO Cup twice and many more.
WHO IS NIGERIA’S ALL-TIME TOP SCORER?
Nigeria’s all-time top scorer is Rashidi Yekini with 37 goals, 14 more than second place in the rankings. He scored an impressive 37 goals in 62 matches between 1984 and 1998.
WHO IS NIGERIA’S ALL-TIME TOP APPEARANCE MAKER?
Ahmed Musa is the player with the most appearances in Nigeria’s history, making an outstanding 109 appearances being 2010 to present, scoring 16 times in that period.
He has played eight more times than joint second-placed Vincent Enyeama and Joseph Yobo, while the next highest present player is Alex Iwobi with 82 appearances.
WHAT IS NIGERIA’S BIGGEST-EVER VICTORY?
Nigeria’s biggest-ever victory came in June 2022 when Nigeria phenomenally beat Sao Tome and Principe 10-0.
WHO ARE NIGERIA’S BIGGEST RIVALS?
Nigeria have a number of rivals throughout Africa, with many considering their main rivalry to be with Ghana, understandably so with these two nations being the most successful in the continent’s history.
They also share a rivalry with Cameroon, Algeria, Benin and Argentina – due to playing the South American side five times in their first six World Cup appearances.
HOW DID NIGERIA BECOME KNOWN AS ‘SUPER EAGLES’?
The men’s national team were formerly known as the ‘Green Eagles’, in reference to the Nigerian state flag and the eagle which adorns the country’s coat of arms. However, at a reception after the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, the team’s name was changed to the ‘Super Eagles’.
WHO IS NIGERIA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL MANAGER?
Clemens Westerhof is widely regarded as one of the most successful managers in Nigeria’s history, managing the side between 1989 and 1994, leading them to a 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and their first ever World Cup in 1994.
He is credited with turning Nigeria into a powerhouse in African football, showing that they, and other African nations, can compete on the global stage. He is also responsible for a ‘golden period’ in Nigerian football, with players such as Jay-Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Nwankwo Kanu, Rashidi Yekini and others entering the world spotlight while playing under Westerhof.
WHAT IS NIGERIA’S MOST FAMOUS ACHIEVEMENT?
The most famous achievement in the history of the Nigeria national football team is widely regarded to be winning the Olympic gold medal in men’s football at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, USA.
That victory saw them become the first African country to win the Olympic Gold in football, marking a phenomenal achievement.
WHO IS NIGERIA’S CURRENT MANAGER & STAR PLAYERS?
The team’s current manager is Augustine Eguavoen, who has taken charge on an interim basis as Nigeria continue their ongoing search for a new permanent boss. Nigeria’s current squad possesses quality from the top leagues in Europe. This includes the likes of Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen and Samuel Chukwueze of seven-time European champions AC Milan.
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