World Cup History
Best Result:
1994 and 1998, Second Round
Nigeria, as Africa's most populous nation, has long been considered as the sleeping giant of African football, with a seemingly never-ending supply of talented and athletic players. A victory in the 1980 African Nations Cup was a crucial turning point for the game in the West African nation and more success followed in the same tournament in 1994. The 1996 Olympic Games proved the graduation of Nigeria into a serious status in terms of world football powers as their team claimed a gold medal with stars like Kanu, Amokachi and Okocha making their names as they beat Brazil and Argentina.
However, the promise of the early 1990s, where Nigeria was ranked as high as number five in the world and made the second round at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, seems to have faded slightly and the failure to qualify for the 2006 event hit Nigerian football hard.
In 1994, Nigeria topped their group after beating Bulgaria and Greece and defeat to Argentina. With three teams tied on six points, goal difference got Nigeria and Bulgaria through in a major upset. But Nigerian hearts were broken in the second-round match against Italy. Emmanuel Amuneke gave Nigeria the early lead, but Roberto Baggio replied with a goal with two minutes left in regulation before scoring the winner in the extra time.
Four years later, it was a similar story as Nigeria qualified top of the group following wins over Spain and Bulgaria and a loss to Paraguay. Denmark looked a much easier second-round opponent than Italy, but Nigeria simply didn't turn up on the day, conceding two goals inside the first 12 minutes and trailing 4-0 before rescuing some pride with a late goal. In 2002, Nigeria bowed out in what was tagged the Group of Death which featured Sweden, Argentina and England.
Road to World Cup
Qualified as top in CAF - Group B
Nigeria never looked like getting eliminated in their first qualification stage for 2010, progressing from a group featuring South Africa, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea without dropping a point. All three away games resulted in 1-0 wins, and Nigeria conceded just one goal for the first stage.
However, much tougher challenges awaited, especially with Tunisia, a four-time World Cup representative in their group. Kenya and Mozambique made up the group, but it always loomed as a battle between Nigeria and Tunisia for top spot. An opening 0-0 draw in Mozambique wasn't the ideal start, but a 3-0 home win over Kenya in Abuja followed before a crucial 0-0 result away to Tunisia.
The Super Eagles were held 2-2 in a thrilling return match between the two top seeds and it came down to how each would perform against the other two teams in the final matches. Both had 1-0 wins in the penultimate match, leaving Nigeria needing a win in Kenya, and for Tunisia to lose in Mozambique for qualification. Nigeria endured stubborn resistance in Nairobi and trailed 1-0 and then it was 2-2 with 10 minutes to play. Wolfsburg's Obafemi Martins stepped up with a goal which gave Nigeria a hope of getting through.
Amazingly, Tunisia let the opportunity slip in Maputo, with Mozambique winning the game with a goal to Dario in the 83rd minute. The Super Eagles' success has inspired a new wave of patriotism in the troubled West African nation and hopes are high for a strong showing on African soil in 2010.
Star Men
Obafemi Martins - Martins has played club football for Inter Milan, Newcastle United and now Wolfsburg and despite a troubled relationship with the Nigerian FA over the years, he looms as a crucial player in South Africa 2010. On his day, he is one of the best strikers going around, and he proved in his time at Newcastle United that he can compete with the best defenders in the world. Under current Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu, he his back in favour and scored two goals in the crucial win over Kenya which saw Nigeria return to the World Cup for the first time in eight years.
Mikel John Obi
- The Chelsea midfielder is a prodigious talent and at only 22, the best appears yet to come. Having spent the past three years at one of the world's biggest clubs, he is set to realise that potential, and should play a major role in the 2010 tournament. Like most of his high-profile compatriots he has had a few issues with the national team, including a spectacular fall-out with former manager Berti Vogts and the fact he was left out of the squad for the 2008 Olympic Games. But he played in the majority of World Cup qualifiers and captained the side against Tunisia.
Stranger than Fiction
Nigeria have changed managers on 18 occasions in the past 20 years, with current manager Shaibu Amodu having had four stints in charge, the earliest of which was way back in 1994. Nigeria has had 20 foreign managers over their 50-year history.
