The Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup was yet another good opportunity for the Nigerian senior men’s football team to defy the odds and put Nigeria back where she belongs — where our nation’s football heroes past laboured to keep us. However, it is clear we will need another great chance.
What happened to us?
We are the same nation that went to a World Cup for the first time and laid waste to football giants in South America and Europe — after which Nigeria was ranked 5th best in the world by FIFA in April of 1994.
In our very first appearance on the big stage at the USA’94 World Cup, our strong and defiant boys changed their status from underdogs to alpha-males. 21 minutes into the game when Rashidi Yekini latched on to a cross from Finidi George to score Nigeria’s first ever world cup goal. Though the goal was not spectacular by world standards, Yekini’s celebration after he discovered he had just scored Nigeria’s first goal at the world cup helped to create one of the most enduring moments in world football. Two more goals from Nigeria sent a savvy Bulgarian side into utter chaos as Nigeria picked her first ever world cup win.
This is still that same Nigeria that led Africa by hand and showed the world how truly talented African players are. If there was ever an Africa tournament, Nigeria’s presence was the only credibility the tournament needed to be acknowledged around the world. So, what exactly changed?
Nigeria is not without our great well of talents. In fact, we have more players doing remarkably well across the globe than we have had in years, so why can’t the Super Eagles surpass the achievements of their predecessors?
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