Nigeria

Nickname(s) Super Eagles Association Nigeria Football Federation Confederation CAF (Africa) Head coach Lars Lagerbäck Asst coach Roland Andersson Captain Nwankwo Kanu Most caps Mudashiru Lawal (86) Top scorer Rashidi Yekini (37) Home stadium Abuja Stadium FIFA code NGA FIFA ranking 21 Highest FIFA ranking 5 (April 1994) Lowest FIFA ranking 82 (November 1999) Elo ranking 28 Highest Elo ranking 14 (31 May 2004) Lowest Elo ranking 87 (27 December 1964) Home Colours Away Colours First international Nigeria 2 – 0 Sierra Leone Freetown, Sierra Leone; (8 October 1949) Biggest win Nigeria 10 – 1 Dahomey (Lagos, Nigeria; 28 November 1959) Biggest defeat Gold Coast 7 – 0 Nigeria (Accra, Ghana; 1 June 1955) World Cup Appearances 3 (First in 1994) Best result Round of 16, 1994 and 1998 African Nations Cup Appearances 16 (First in 1963) Best result Winners, 1980 and 1994 Confederations Cup Appearances 1 (First in 1995) Best result 4th, 1995 Honours Olympic medal record Competitor for  Nigeria Men’s Football Gold 1996 Atlanta Team Silver 2008 Beijing Team

The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). According to the FIFA World Rankings, Nigeria ranks 21st and holds the third highest place among the African nations behind Egypt (12th) and Cameroon (19th). Their highest position ever reached on the ranking was 5th in April 1994. History After playing other colonies in unofficial games since the 1930s, Nigeria played their first official game in October 1949, while still a British colony. The team played warmup 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 1976 and 1978's 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. 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 1994 World Cup Nigeria finally reached the World Cup for the first time in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. They were managed by Clemens Westerhof who is commonly considered to be the best coach to have ever led Nigeria. Nigeria topped their group which included Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece. In their first game Nigeria defeated Bulgaria 3-0, lost to Argentina 1-2, and qualified for 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 Amunike at 25 min. Nigeria were within one 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....

1998 World Cup 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. 2002 World Cup The 2002 FIFA 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 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 after finishing level on points in the qualification group with Angola, but having an inferior record in the matches between the sides 2010 World Cup On 14 November, 2009, Nigeria qualified for the 2010 World Cup after defeating Kenya by 3-2 in Nairobi. Argentina also won six of the fourteen football competitions at the Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1995 and 2003. In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time. African Nations Cup Nigeria won the African Nations Cup twice (1980 and 1994). More recently they took third place at the 2002 African Nations Cup, the 2004 African Nations Cup, the 2006 African Nations Cup, and the 2010 African Nations Cup. 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 Games Gold: 1 Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games Silver: 1 Beijing 2008 World team of the year: 1 1996 World Cup record Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA 1930 to 1958 Did not enter 1962 Did not qualify 1966 Withdrew 1970 to 1990 Did not qualify 1994 Round of 16 9 4 2 0 2 7 4 1998 Round of 16 12 4 2 0 2 6 9 2002 Round 1 27 3 0 1 2 1 3 2006 Did not qualify 2010 Qualified Total 3/18 11 4 1 6 14 16 Confederations Cup record Year Round GP W D* L GS GA 1992 Did not qualify 1995 Fourth place 3 1 2 0 4 1 1997 to 2009 Did not qualify Total 1/8 3 1 2 0 4 1 African Cup of Nations record African Cup of Nations Titles: 2 Appearances: 16 Year Position Year Position Year Position 1957 Did not enter 1976 Third place 1994 Champions 1959 Did not enter 1978 Third place 1996 Withdrew from tournament 1962 Withdrew from tournament 1980 Champions 1998 Disqualified for failure to participate in 1996 1963 Round 1 1982 Round 1 2000 Second place 1965 Did not qualify 1984 Second place 2002 Third place 1968 Did not qualify 1986 Did not qualify 2004 Third place 1970 Did not qualify 1988 Second place 2006 Third place 1972 Did not qualify 1990 Second place 2008 Quarter-finals 1974 Did not qualify 1992 Third place 2010 Third place 2010 FIFA World Cup/African Cup of Nations Qualification 2010 World Cup/African Cup of Nations: 2nd Round Group 4 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Nigeria 6 6 0 0 11 1 +10 18  South Africa 6 2 1 3 5 5 0 7  Sierra Leone 6 2 1 3 4 8 −4 7  Equatorial Guinea 6 1 0 5 4 10 −6 3   Equatorial Guinea  — 0 – 1 2 – 0 0 – 1 Nigeria  2 – 0 — 4 – 1 2 – 0 Sierra Leone  2 – 1 0 – 1 — 1 – 0 South Africa  4 – 1 0 – 1 0 – 0 — Notes on the tie-breaking situation: South Africa and Sierra Leone are ranked by their overall goal difference. Note: South Africa were automatically qualified as hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, they were subject to the same rules as other nations for continuation to the next stage of the qualifiers. Failure to advance from this group eliminated them from the qualifiers for the 2010 African Cup of Nations. 2010 World Cup/African Cup of Nations: 3rd Round Group B Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Nigeria 6 3 3 0 9 4 +5 12  Tunisia 6 3 2 1 7 4 +3 11  Mozambique 6 2 1 3 3 5 −2 7  Kenya 6 1 0 5 5 11 −6 3   Kenya  — 2 – 1 2 – 3 1 – 2 Mozambique  1 – 0 — 0 – 0 1 – 0 Nigeria  3 – 0 1 – 0 — 2 – 2 Tunisia  1 – 0 2 – 0 0 – 0 — Legend Countries that qualified for the 2010 World Cup and 2010 African Cup of Nations Countries that qualified for the 2010 African Cup of Nations 2010 African Cup of Nations Group C Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Egypt 3 3 0 0 7 1 +6 9  Nigeria 3 2 0 1 5 3 +2 6  Benin 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1  Mozambique 3 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1 Recent results and forthcoming fixtures Matches 2010-03-03 Nigeria  5 – 2  Congo DR Abuja Stadium, Abuja 2010-05-25 Nigeria  0 – 0  Saudi Arabia Alpenstadion, Wattens, Austria 2010-05-30 Nigeria  1 - 1  Colombia Stadium:mk, Milton Keynes, England Attendance: 0 Lukman  70' Report Valdez  22' 2010-06-06 Nigeria  v  Korea DPR Makhulong Stadium Johannesburg, South Africa FIFA World Cup 2010 2010-06-12 16:00 UTC+2 Argentina  v  Nigeria Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 2010-06-17 16:00 UTC+2 Greece  v  Nigeria Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 2010-06-22 20:30 UTC+2 Nigeria  v  Korea Republic Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Argentina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Nigeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Korea Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Greece 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Current squad The following players were called in for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Caps/goals correct as of May 30 2010 No. Pos. Player DoB (Age) Caps Goals Club 1 GK Vincent Enyeama 29 August 1982 (1982-08-29) (age 27) 52 0 Hapoel Tel Aviv 16 GK Austin Ejide 8 April 1984 (1984-04-08) (age 26) 17 0 Hapoel Petah Tikva 23 GK Dele Aiyenugba 20 November 1983 (1983-11-20) (age 26) 9 0 Bnei Yehuda 2 DF Joseph Yobo 6 September 1980 (1980-09-06) (age 29) 65 4 Everton 3 DF Taye Taiwo 16 April 1985 (1985-04-16) (age 25) 36 7 Marseille 6 DF Danny Shittu 2 September 1980 (1980-09-02) (age 29) 24 0 Bolton Wanderers 17 DF Chidi Odiah 17 December 1983 (1983-12-17) (age 26) 23 1 CSKA Moscow 5 DF Rabiu Afolabi 18 April 1980 (1980-04-18) (age 30) 21 1 Red Bull Salzburg 21 DF Uwa Elderson Echiéjilé 20 January 1988 (1988-01-20) (age 22) 10 0 Rennes 15 DF Dele Adeleye 25 December 1988 (1988-12-25) (age 21) 6 0 Metalurh Donetsk 10 MF Mikel John Obi 22 April 1987 (1987-04-22) (age 23) 34 2 Chelsea 13 MF Ayila Yussuf 4 November 1984 (1984-11-04) (age 25) 26 2 Dynamo Kyiv 12 MF Kalu Uche 15 November 1982 (1982-11-15) (age 27) 20 2 Almería 14 MF Sani Kaita 2 May 1986 (1986-05-02) (age 24) 18 0 Alania Vladikavkaz 20 MF Dickson Etuhu 8 June 1982 (1982-06-08) (age 27) 12 0 Fulham 19 MF Lukman Haruna 12 April 1990 (1990-04-12) (age 20) 3 1 Monaco 11 MF Peter Odemwingie 15 July 1981 (1981-07-15) (age 28) 44 8 Lokomotiv Moscow 7 MF Chinedu Obasi 1 June 1986 (1986-06-01) (age 24) 23 4 Hoffenheim 4 FW Nwankwo Kanu 1 August 1976 (1976-08-01) (age 33) 82 13 Portsmouth 8 FW Yakubu Aiyegbeni 22 November 1982 (1982-11-22) (age 27) 51 19 Everton 22 FW John Utaka 8 January 1982 (1982-01-08) (age 28) 43 6 Portsmouth 18 FW Victor Obinna 25 March 1987 (1987-03-25) (age 23) 31 10 Málaga 9 FW Obafemi Martins 28 October 1984 (1984-10-28) (age 25) 30 16 Wolfsburg Recent call-ups No. Pos. Player DoB (Age) Caps Goals Club GK Ngemba Evans Obi (Friendly v. Colombia, 22 November 2008) 7 July 1984 (1984-07-07) (age 25) 0 Fürstenfeldbruck II[4] DF Efe Ambrose (Friendly v. Sudan, 9 January 2008) 18 October 1988 (1988-10-18) (age 21) 1 0 Kaduna United DF Kingsley Udoh (Friendly v. Sudan, 9 January 2008) 7 December 1990 (1990-12-07) (age 19) 1 0 Akwa United FW Stephen Makinwa (Africa Nations Cup 2008) 26 July 1983 (1983-07-26) (age 26) 16 1 Lazio FW Kayode Odejayi (Friendly v. Austria, 27 May 2008) 21 February 1982 (1982-02-21) (age 28) 1 0 Colchester United MF Paul Obiefule (Friendly v. Jamaica, 11 February 2009) 15 May 1986 (1986-05-15) (age 24) 10 0 Hønefoss DF Yusuf Mohamed (Africa Nations Cup 2010) 5 November 1983 (1983-11-05) (age 26) 12 0 Sion DF Obinna Nwaneri (Africa Nations Cup 2010) 18 March 1982 (1982-03-18) (age 28) 34 1 Sion DF Chibuzor Okonkwo (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 16 December 1988 (1988-12-16) (age 21) 1 0 Bayelsa United FW Bello Musa Kofarmata (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 12 May 1988 (1988-05-12) (age 22) 1 0 Heartland F.C. GK Segun Oluwaniyi (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 24 April 1982 (1982-04-24) (age 28) 1 0 Shooting Stars FC MF Isiaka Olawale (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 11 November 1983 (1983-11-11) (age 26) 8 0 Kwara United FW Osas Idehen (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 13 May 1990 (1990-05-13) (age 20) 1 2 Enyimba FW Thankgod Amaefule (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 16 December 1984 (1984-12-16) (age 25) 1 0 Sharks F.C. DF Thankgod Ikechukwu (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 13 September 1985 (1985-09-13) (age 24) 1 0 Heartland F.C. MF Chinedu Ezimora (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 6 March 1983 (1983-03-06) (age 27) 1 0 Nasarawa United F.C. FW Uche Nwofor (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 28 February 1989 (1989-02-28) (age 21) 1 0 Shooting Stars F.C. GK Bassey Akpan (Friendly v. Congo DR, March 3) 6 January 1984 (1984-01-06) (age 26) 1 0 Bayelsa United DF Terna Suswam (Friendly v. Saudi Arabia, 25 May 2010) 5 September 1991 (1991-09-05) (age 18) 1 0 Lobi Stars F.C. FW Ikechukwu Uche (Friendly v. Colombia, 30 May 2010) 5 January 1984 (1984-01-05) (age 26) 24 6 Real Zaragoza FW Peter Utaka (Friendly v. Saudi Arabia, 25 May 2010) 12 February 1984 (1984-02-12) (age 26) 2 1 OB FW Victor Anichebe (Friendly v. Saudi Arabia, 25 May 2010) 23 April 1988 (1988-04-23) (age 22) 5 0 Everton DF Onyekachi Apam 30 December 1986 (1986-12-30) (age 23) 13 0 Nice FW Michael Eneramo 26 November 1985 (1985-11-26) (age 24) 8 2 Espérance FW Joseph Akpala 24 August 1986 (1986-08-24) (age 23) 2 1 Club Brugge GK Greg Etafia 30 September 1982 (1982-09-30) (age 27) 3 0 Moroka Swallows DF Sam Sodje 25 May 1979 (1979-05-25) (age 31) 4 0 Charlton Athletic DF Olubayo Adefemi 13 August 1985 (1985-08-13) (age 24) 4 0 Boulogne MF Seyi Olofinjana 30 June 1980 (1980-06-30) (age 29) 41 0 Hull City MF Sone Aluko 19 February 1989 (1989-02-19) (age 21) 1 0 Aberdeen MF Femi Ajilore 18 January 1985 (1985-01-18) (age 25) 4 0 Groningen MF Onyekachi Okonkwo 13 May 1982 (1982-05-13) (age 28) 9 0 Zürich MF Ikechukwu Ibenegbu 22 February 1986 (1986-02-22) (age 24) 0 0 Heartland F.C. Managers Team managers of Nigeria and the dates they took over. Date appointed Manager name 2010– Lars Lagerbäck 2008–2010 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 Top goalscorers List of Nigeria's top ten highest ever international goalscorers. Players in bold still eligible for selection. Goal scored Player name 37 Rashidi Yekini 23 Segun Odegbami 19 Yakubu Aiyegbeni 17 Sunday Oyarekhua 16 Obafemi Martins 14 Daniel Amokachi 14 Jay-Jay Okocha 14 Julius Aghahowa 13 Nwankwo Kanu 13 Samson Siasia Source : wikipedia