Nigeria national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nigeria

Nickname(s)	Super Eagles
Association	Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach	Augustine Eguavoen (interim)
Captain	William Troost-Ekong
Most caps	Ahmed Musa (109)
Top scorer	Rashidi Yekini (37)
Home stadium	Moshood Abiola National Stadium
FIFA code	NGA
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	46 2 (7 February 2019)
Highest	5 (April 1994)
Lowest	82 (November 1999)
Elo ranking
Current	42 2 (3 March 2019)
Highest	15 (31 May 2004)
Lowest	72 (27 December 1964)
First international
Sierra Leone 0–2 Nigeria  (Freetown, Sierra Leone; 8 October 1949)
Biggest win
São Tomé and Príncipe 0–10 Nigeria  (Agadir, Morocco; 14 June 2022)
Biggest defeat
Gold Coast and British Togoland 7–0 Nigeria  (Accra, Gold Coast; 1 June 1955)
World Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1994)
Best result	Round of 16 (1994, 1998, 2014)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	20 (first in 1963)
Best result	Champions (1980, 1994, 2013)
African Nations Championship
Appearances	3 (first in 2014)
Best result	Runners-up (2018)
WAFU Nations Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2010)
Best result	Champions (2010)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 1995)
Best result	Fourth place (1995)
Medal record African Games Gold 1973 Lagos Team Silver 1978 Algiers Team Men's football Africa Cup of Nations Gold 1980 Nigeria Team Gold 1994 Tunisia Team Gold 2013 South Africa Team Silver 1984 Ivory Coast Team Silver 1988 Morocco Team Silver 1990 Algeria Team Silver 2000 Ghana/Nigeria Team Silver 2023 Ivory Coast Team Bronze 1976 Ethiopia Team Bronze 1978 Ghana Team Bronze 1992 Senegal Team Bronze 2002 Mali Team Bronze 2004 Tunisia Team Bronze 2006 Egypt Team Bronze 2019 Egypt Team

The Nigeria national football team represents Nigeria in international men's football games. They are often called the Super Eagles. This team is managed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). They have won the Africa Cup of Nations three times. Their most recent win was in 2013. In February 2024, the Super Eagles were ranked 28th in the world by FIFA.

The team has played in six of the last eight FIFA World Cups. They missed out only in 2006 and 2022. They have reached the Round of 16 three times. Their first World Cup appearance was in 1994. Nigeria is a member of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

History of the Super Eagles

Nigeria played unofficial games against other colonies starting in the 1930s. Their first official game was in October 1949. At that time, Nigeria was still a British colony. Before this, the team played practice games in England. They played against amateur teams like Bromley and Dulwich Hamlet. One match against Marine A.F.C. had 6,000 fans, which was a record for that small stadium.

Early Years: 1963–1980

Nigeria first played in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963. They were in a group with Sudan and the United Arab Republic. They did not make it to the next stage.

The team's first big win was a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa Games in 1973. Captain Victor Oduah led the team to this success. They then finished third in the 1976 and 1978 African Cup of Nations. In 1980, with players like Segun Odegbami, the team won their first African Cup in Lagos. Christian Chukwu was their captain.

The Nigeria Olympic Men's football team won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. They beat strong teams like Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. They were runners-up at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. They lost to Argentina in the final, which was a rematch of the 1996 final.

In 1984, 1988, and 2000, Nigeria reached the Africa Cup of Nations final. They lost to Cameroon each time. Cameroon has won three of its five African titles by beating Nigeria. This has created a strong rivalry between the two countries. One famous moment was in the 2000 final. A penalty kick by Victor Ikpeba was not counted by the referee.

The team pulled out of two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments between 1963 and 1974. This was due to challenges happening in the country. They also withdrew in 1996. In 1976, they returned and finished third in both the 1976 and 1978 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 1980s: A Decade of Growth

Nigeria hosted the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations and won their first title that year. This happened in Lagos. Between 1982 and 1990, Ghana finished as runners-up three times. They also failed to qualify for the 1986 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

World Cup Debut and Success: 1992–2006

Nigeria played in the Africa Cup of Nations again in 1992 and 1994. They finished third in 1992. Then, they won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, which was their second title.

Nigeria finally made it to the World Cup for the first time in 1994. They had tried for many years to qualify. Clemens Westerhof was their manager. Nigeria won their group, which included Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece. Nigeria beat Bulgaria 3–0. They lost to Argentina 1–2. They reached the second round after beating Greece 2–0.

In the second round, Nigeria played Italy. Emmanuel Amunike scored a goal in the 25th minute, giving Nigeria the lead. Nigeria was very close to reaching the quarter-finals. But then Roberto Baggio scored for Italy, sending the game into extra time. He scored again, and Italy won 2–1. In 1996, the team pulled out of the African Cup of Nations. This was due to issues with the country's government. Nigeria was then banned from the 1998 African Cup of Nations.

In 1998, Nigeria returned to the World Cup. They were joined by Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, and South Africa. People were hopeful because of their manager Bora Milutinović. Most of the 1994 players were back. Nigeria was in Group D with Spain, Bulgaria, and Paraguay. Nigeria caused a big surprise by beating Spain 3–2. They came back twice after being behind. The Eagles qualified for the second round with a win against Bulgaria. They lost to Paraguay. The team's hopes of doing better than in 1994 ended. They lost 1–4 to Denmark. This is the only World Cup Nigeria qualified for without playing Argentina.

In 2000, they returned to the Africa Cup of Nations. They finished as runners-up. They then finished third in the 2002, 2004, and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.

World Cups in 2002 and 2006

Nigeria qualified for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. There was a new team and bright green uniforms. The Super Eagles were expected to do well. Nigeria was in Group F with strong teams like Sweden, Argentina, and England. Their first game against Argentina was a tough defensive battle. Argentina won 1–0 after a goal in the 61st minute. Nigeria's second game against Sweden saw them take the lead. But they later lost 2–1. Nigeria then drew 0–0 with England. They were out in the first round.

Nigeria did not qualify for the 2006 World Cup. They finished with the same points as Angola. But Angola had a better record in games played between them.

Recent Years: 2008–2017

In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria lost to Ghana in the quarter-finals. They qualified for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. But Ghana beat them in the semi-finals. They failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. This happened after a 2–2 draw against Guinea.

Nigeria came back strong in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. They played without losing any games. They beat Burkina Faso in the final to win the Cup for the third time. However, they did not qualify for the next two tournaments.

2010 World Cup Journey

On November 14, 2009, Nigeria qualified for the 2010 World Cup. They beat Kenya 3–2 in Nairobi.

Nigeria lost their first match 1–0 to Argentina. This was at Ellis Park Stadium. In their second game, Nigeria led early with a goal from Kalu Uche. But a red card for Sani Kaita gave Greece an advantage. Greece scored and won 2–1. In their last group game against South Korea, Nigeria scored first. But South Korea came back to lead 2–1. Yakubu missed an open goal for Nigeria. He later scored a penalty to make it 2–2. But Nigeria could not score again. They were out of the 2010 World Cup with only one point.

After the team's early exit, the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, suspended the team from international games for two years. This put the team at risk of being banned by FIFA. FIFA does not allow governments to interfere in football. The Nigerian government later removed the ban. But FIFA still applied a suspension for a few months.

2014 World Cup Journey

Nigeria's journey in the 2014 FIFA World Cup started with a 0–0 draw against Iran. Four days later, they played Bosnia and Herzegovina. A goal from Peter Odemwingie gave Nigeria their first World Cup win since 1998. They then faced Argentina. Lionel Messi scored early for Argentina. Ahmed Musa quickly equalized for Nigeria. Messi scored again before half-time. In the second half, Musa scored again to tie the game. Argentina then scored to win 3–2.

Nigeria lost the match but still made it to the Round of 16. There, Nigeria played France. An early goal for Nigeria was disallowed. Nigeria held France until the 79th minute. Then, Paul Pogba scored for France. An own goal by Captain Joseph Yobo in injury time sealed Nigeria's defeat. Nigeria was out. This was the third time Nigeria was knocked out in the Round of 16. They still had not reached the quarter-finals in the FIFA World Cup.

2018 World Cup Journey

On June 24, 2016, the Confederation of African Football announced the draw for the World Cup qualifiers. Nigeria was in a tough group with Zambia, Algeria, and Cameroon. Nigeria started with a 2–1 win over Zambia. They beat Algeria 3–1. They then beat Cameroon 5–1 both home and away.

The Super Eagles were the first African team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. They beat Zambia 1–0. On June 3, 2018, coach Gernot Rohr named his 23-man squad. Nigeria lost their first game 0–2 to Croatia. But they won their second match 2–0 against Iceland. Ahmed Musa scored both goals. Nigeria had a good chance to qualify. But they lost 2–1 to Argentina in their last group game. Victor Moses scored for Nigeria. This loss meant Nigeria did not make it to the Round of 16.

2019 Africa Cup of Nations

The Super Eagles started the 2019 AFCON by beating Burundi 1–0. They then beat Guinea. But they lost 2–0 to Madagascar in their final group match. In the Round of 16, Nigeria beat Cameroon 3–2. Goals came from Jude Ighalo and Iwobi. They then played South Africa in the quarter-finals. A late header from Troost-Ekong gave Nigeria a 2–1 win. Nigeria faced Algeria in the semi-finals. They were knocked out after a very late free kick from Riyad Mahrez. The Super Eagles then played Tunisia for third place. They won 1–0 with a goal from Ighalo. This made him the top scorer of the tournament.

2021 Africa Cup of Nations

On July 18, 2019, the Confederation of African Football announced the draw for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. The Super Eagles were in Group L with Lesotho, Benin, and Sierra Leone. Nigeria started by beating Benin 2–1. They then beat Lesotho 4–2 away from home. In March 2020, the AFCON qualifiers were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 African Cup of Nations was moved to 2022. The qualifiers started again in November 2020.

The 2021 AFCON began on January 9, 2022. Nigeria was the only team to win all three group stage matches. They beat Egypt 1–0, Sudan 3–1, and Guinea-Bissau 2–0. However, Nigeria lost 1–0 to Tunisia in the Round of 16 on January 23.

2022 World Cup Qualification

Nigeria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 16 years. They lost to Ghana on the away goals rule. The scores were 0–0 in Ghana and 1–1 in Nigeria.

2023 Africa Cup of Nations

The Super Eagles started their 2023 AFCON by drawing 1–1 with Equatorial Guinea. They then beat hosts Ivory Coast 1–0. They also beat Guinea Bissau by the same score. In the Round of 16, Nigeria beat Cameroon 2–0. Ademola Lookman scored both goals. They then beat Angola in the quarter-finals with a goal from Lookman. Nigeria faced South Africa in the semi-finals. The match ended 1–1 after extra time. Kelechi Iheanacho scored in the penalty shootout. Nigeria won 4–2 on penalties. In the final, the Super Eagles finished as runners-up. They lost 2–1 to hosts Ivory Coast.

Team Look and Feel

Kits and Team Name

The Nigeria national team usually wears green for their home games. Their away kits are all white. These colors represent the Nigerian flag. The shade of green has changed over the years. In the past, they used a darker green. Now, they use a standard green, like the one on the flag. Nigeria's first national teams wore red shirts with white shorts and socks. They changed to green and white after Nigeria became independent.

On April 23, 2015, Nike became the supplier of Nigeria's kits. Before that, Nike supplied kits from 1994 to 2003.

Kit Suppliers

Kit supplier	Period
Erima	1980–1984
Admiral	1984–1987
Adidas	1988–1994
Nike	1994–2003
Adidas	2004–2014
Nike	2015–present

Nigeria's team name has changed over time. Before Nigeria became independent, they were called the "Red Devils" because of their red shirts. After independence, they became the "Green Eagles." This name came from the Nigerian flag and the eagle on the country's coat of arms. In 1988, the team's name officially changed to the "Super Eagles." Today, only the senior men's team uses this nickname. The women's team is called the "Super Falcons." Younger male teams are called the "Flying Eagles" and the "Golden Eaglets."

Media and Fans

The Nigerian Football Federation has a deal with AIT and Ray Power Radio. This helps broadcast games. Internationally, Nigeria's qualifying and African Cup matches are shown by beIN Sports and SuperSport. Friendly matches are often played in the UK. This is for the many Nigerian people living there.

Nigerian football fans are very lively. They wear green outfits, wigs, hats, and sunglasses. They dance, sing, play drums, and wave flags. They travel to support Nigeria in away matches too. However, the fan club sometimes faces problems with money and disagreements.

At home matches, a brass and percussion band often plays. They perform popular Highlife songs. This gives Nigerian games a special feeling. A common chant after a goal is "Oshe Baba!" This means "Thank you father!" in the Yoruba language.

Team Rivalries

Ghana

Ghana is Nigeria's biggest rival. They have played each other more than any other team. Both are very successful in Africa. Nigeria had strong periods against Ghana, especially in the 1950s and early 2000s. FIFA says their first official match was a World Cup qualifier in 1960. But they played competitive games since 1950. The rivalry between these two West African teams is known as the Jollof Derby.

Cameroon

Cameroon, Nigeria's neighbor, is also a big rival. They have met three times in the final of the African Cup of Nations. Cameroon won all three finals. Both teams have a history of success in Africa and have played in many World Cups.

Their rivalry began in 1960. Nigeria has generally been the stronger team. But in the AFCON finals of 1984, 1988, and 2000, Cameroon won. Nigeria has qualified for six FIFA World Cups. They reached the Round of 16 three times. Cameroon has qualified eight times, reaching the quarter-finals once in 1990.

Other African Nations

Nigeria also has competitive matches with Algeria. They first played in the 1970s. They met twice in the African Cup of Nations finals, with each team winning once. A 1–1 draw in Algeria in 1993 helped Nigeria qualify for their first World Cup in 1994. Nigeria had a long unbeaten run against Algeria. But Algeria won in the semi-finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria's western neighbor, Benin, has also played against the team. But Nigeria has won most of these games. Benin is not seen as a major rival.

Argentina

In five of its first six World Cup appearances, Nigeria was in the same group as Argentina. Argentina is a three-time World Cup champion. Nigeria has played well against them. This match-up is the most common in World Cup history for an African team. Argentina has won all five World Cup games against Nigeria. But all were by only one goal. These games were very close. Nigeria has won two friendly matches against Argentina.

Nigeria almost beat Argentina in their first meeting. They led for some time in the game. In the 1995 Confederations Cup, Nigeria held Argentina to a 0–0 draw. At the Olympic Games, their teams played for the gold medal. Nigeria won in 1996 (3–2). Argentina won in 2008 (1–0). In the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship final, Argentina won 2–1. Both goals for Argentina were scored by Lionel Messi. He later scored against Nigeria in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

Many Nigerian fans see games against Argentina as a way to measure their team's progress. Argentine fans usually don't see Nigeria as a rival. But they know they must play carefully against Nigeria.

Home Stadiums

The Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja is the official home stadium of the Super Eagles. Many international matches are also played in other stadiums across Nigeria. The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo often hosts the Super Eagles' important home matches.

Super Eagles Match Venues

Stadium	Capacity	Commissioned	City	State/Territory
Godswill Akpabio International Stadium	30,000	2012	Uyo	Akwa Ibom
Stephen Keshi Stadium	22,000	2018	Asaba	Delta
Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium	38,000	2015	Port Harcourt	Rivers
Moshood Abiola National Stadium	60,491	2000	Abuja	FCT
Lagos National Stadium	45,000	1972	Surulere	Lagos
U. J. Esuene Stadium	16,000	1977	Calabar	Cross River
Teslim Balogun Stadium	24,325	1984	Surulere	Lagos
Obafemi Awolowo Stadium	25,000	1960	Ibadan	Oyo
Sani Abacha Stadium	16,000	1998	Kano	Kano
Ahmadu Bello Stadium	16,000	1965	Kaduna	Kaduna
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium	22,000	1986	Enugu	Enugu
Liberation Stadium	16,000		Port Harcourt	Rivers

Recent Games and Future Matches

Here are the football match results from the last 12 months, and any future games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2023 Matches

2026 World Cup qualification 19 November	Zimbabwe	1–1	Nigeria	Butare
15:00 UTC+2	Musona  26'	https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288282/288289/400017592	Ịheanachọ  67'	Stadium: Stade Huye Referee: Souleiman Ahmed Djama (Djibouti)

2024 Matches

Friendly 8 January	Guinea	2–0	Nigeria	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
16:00 UTC+4	Ag. Camara  15' F. Conté  65'	https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/01/08/world/friendlies/guinea/nigeria/4296121/		Stadium: Baniyas Stadium

2023 AFCON GS 14 January	Nigeria	1–1	Equatorial Guinea	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
14:00	Osimhen  38'	https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/01/14/africa/africa-cup-of-nations/nigeria/equatorial-guinea/4262294/	Salvador  36'	Stadium: Alassane Ouattara Stadium Attendance: 8,500 Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa)

2023 AFCON GS 18 January	Ivory Coast	0–1	Nigeria	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
17:00		https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=190&season=2023&match=2411907	Troost-Ekong  55' (pen.)	Stadium: Alassane Ouattara Stadium Attendance: 49,517 Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)

2023 AFCON GS 22 January	Guinea-Bissau	0–1	Nigeria	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
17:00		https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=190&season=2023&match=2411910	Sanganté  36' (o.g.)	Stadium: Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium Attendance: 15,650 Referee: Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

2023 AFCON R16 27 January	Nigeria	2–0	Cameroon	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
20:00	Lookman  36', 90'	https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=190&season=2023&match=2414307		Stadium: Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium Attendance: 22,085 Referee: Redouane Jiyed (Morocco)

2023 AFCON QF 2 February	Nigeria	1–0	Angola	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
17:00	Lookman  41'	https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=190&season=2023&match=2414314		Stadium: Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium Attendance: 18,757 Referee: Issa Sy (Senegal)

2023 AFCON SF 7 February	Nigeria	1–1 (4–2 pen)	South Africa	Bouaké, Ivory Coast
17:00	Troost-Ekong  67' (pen.)	https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=190&season=2023&match=2414323	Mokoena  90' (pen.)	Stadium: Stade de la Paix Attendance: 31,227 Referee: Amin Omar (Egypt)
		Penalties
	*Moffi Omeruo Aina Troost-Ekong Iheanacho		* Mokoena Mayambela Makgopa Mvala

2023 AFCON F 11 February	Nigeria	1–2	Ivory Coast	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
20:00	Troost-Ekong  38'	https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=190&season=2023&match=2414326	Kessié  62' Haller  81'	Stadium: Alassane Ouattara Stadium Attendance: 57,094 Referee: Dahane Beida (Mauritania)

Friendly 22 March	Nigeria	2–1	Ghana	Marrakech, Morocco
15:00 UTC±0	Dessers  38' (pen.) Lookman  84'	https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/03/22/world/friendlies/nigeria/ghana/4334672/	Ayew  90+5' (pen.)	Stadium: Stade de Marrakech Referee: Rédouane Jiyed (Morocco)

Friendly 26 March	Nigeria	0–2	Mali	Marrakech, Morocco
19:00 UTC±0		https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/03/26/world/friendlies/mali/nigeria/4334673/	Touré  18' K. Doumbia  87'	Stadium: Stade de Marrakech Referee: Samir Guezzaz (Morocco)

2026 World Cup qualification 7 June	Nigeria	1–1	South Africa	Uyo, Nigeria
20:00 UTC+1	Dele-Bashiru  46'	https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288282/288289/400018175	Zwane  29'	Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Referee: Alhadi Allaou Mahamat (Chad)

2026 World Cup qualification 10 June	Benin	2–1	Nigeria	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
16:00 UTC±0	J. Dossou  37' Mounié  45+3'	https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288282/288289/400018177	Onyedika  27'	Stadium: Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)

2025 AFCON qualification 7 September	Nigeria	3–0	Benin	Uyo, Nigeria
17:00 UTC+1	Lookman  45+2', 83' Osimhen  78'	https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=601&season=2024&match=2459882		Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Referee: Alamin Alhadi Mohamed (Sudan)

2025 AFCON qualification 10 September	Rwanda	0–0	Nigeria	Kigali, Rwanda
17:00 UTC+2		https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=601&season=2024&match=2459885		Stadium: Amahoro Stadium Referee: Karim Sabry (Morocco)

2025 AFCON qualification 11 October	Nigeria	1–0	Libya	Uyo, Nigeria
17:00 UTC+1	Dele-Bashiru  86'	https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/match-centre?competition=601&season=2024&match=2459886		Stadium: [[Godswill Akpabio International Stadium]] Referee: Godfrey Nkhakananga (Malawi)

2025 AFCON qualification 15 October	Libya	0–3 Awarded	Nigeria	Benghazi, Libya
21:00 UTC+2				Stadium: Martyrs of February Stadium Referee: Lenine Rocha (Cape Verde)
Note: The Libya v Nigeria match, originally scheduled for 15 October 2024, was cancelled after the Nigerian team was allegedly left stranded at Al Abraq International Airport for more than 12 hours upon arrival, two days before the match. This led the Nigeria Football Federation to refuse to play and send their team back home. CAF later confirmed that the match would not take place and stated that a decision regarding its outcome would be made.

2025 AFCON qualification 14 November	Benin	1-1	Nigeria	Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
				Stadium: Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny

2025 AFCON qualification 18 November	Nigeria	1-2	Rwanda	Uyo, Nigeria
	Chukwueze  59'	https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cgk10nyzj0yo	Mutsinzi  72' Nshuti  75'	Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium

Coaching Staff

The Super Eagles' coaching staff includes a technical adviser (head coach) and assistant coaches. The second assistant coach works with the home-based team. They also help with the CHAN tournament. Other roles include a technical assistant and a goalkeeper trainer.

Position	Name
Technical director	Augustine Eguavoen
Head coach	Vacant
Assistant coach	Emmanuel Amunike
Football ambassador	Daniel Amokachi
Sports administrator	Ayodeji Adegbenro
Goalkeeping coach	Abiodun Baruwa
Fitness coach	Kenneth Adeyemi
Video analyst	Afolabi Adebayo
Match analyst	Eboboritse Uwejamomere

Coaching History

Caretaker managers are shown in italics.

Players

Current Squad

These players were called up for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nation qualification matches in October 2024.

Caps and goals are correct as of September 10, 2024, after the match against  Rwanda.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Stanley Nwabili	(1996-06-10) 10 June 1996 (age 29)	16	0	Chippa United
	1GK	Maduka Okoye	(1999-08-28) 28 August 1999 (age 25)	16	0	Udinese
	1GK	Amas Obasogie	(1999-12-27) 27 December 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Bendel Insurance
	2DF	William Troost-Ekong (captain)	(1993-09-01) 1 September 1993 (age 31)	73	7	Al-Kholood Club
	2DF	Ola Aina	(1996-10-08) 8 October 1996 (age 28)	42	0	Nottingham Forest
	2DF	Semi Ajayi	(1993-11-09) 9 November 1993 (age 31)	41	1	West Bromwich Albion
	2DF	Calvin Bassey	(1999-12-31) 31 December 1999 (age 25)	27	0	Fulham
	2DF	Bright Osayi-Samuel	(1997-12-31) 31 December 1997 (age 27)	18	0	Fenerbahçe
	2DF	Bruno Onyemaechi	(1999-04-03) 3 April 1999 (age 26)	8	0	Boavista
	2DF	Benjamin Tanimu	(2002-07-24) 24 July 2002 (age 22)	3	0	Crawley Town
	3MF	Alex Iwobi	(1996-05-03) 3 May 1996 (age 29)	81	10	Fulham
	3MF	Moses Simon	(1995-07-12) 12 July 1995 (age 29)	74	9	Nantes
	3MF	Wilfred Ndidi	(1996-12-16) 16 December 1996 (age 28)	59	0	Leicester City
	3MF	Frank Onyeka	(1998-01-01) 1 January 1998 (age 27)	26	1	Augsburg
	3MF	Raphael Onyedika	(2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 24)	11	1	Club Brugge
	3MF	Alhassan Yusuf	(2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 24)	7	0	New England Revolution
	3MF	Fisayo Dele-Bashiru	(2001-02-06) 6 February 2001 (age 24)	4	1	Lazio
	4FW	Kelechi Iheanacho	(1996-10-03) 3 October 1996 (age 28)	55	15	Sevilla
	4FW	Samuel Chukwueze	(1999-05-22) 22 May 1999 (age 26)	40	5	Milan
	4FW	Ademola Lookman	(1997-10-20) 20 October 1997 (age 27)	25	8	Atalanta
	4FW	Taiwo Awoniyi	(1997-08-12) 12 August 1997 (age 27)	9	2	Nottingham Forest
	4FW	Victor Boniface	(2000-12-23) 23 December 2000 (age 24)	8	1	Bayer Leverkusen
	4FW	Chidera Ejuke	(1998-01-02) 2 January 1998 (age 27)	8	0	Sevilla

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called up to the Nigeria squad in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Olorunleke Ojo	(1995-08-17) 17 August 1995 (age 29)	0	0	Al-Merrikh	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
GK	Adebayo Adeleye	(2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Hapoel Jerusalem	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
DF	Olisa Ndah	(1998-01-21) 21 January 1998 (age 27)	5	0	Orlando Pirates	v.  Rwanda, 10 September 2024
DF	Chidozie Awaziem	(1997-01-01) 1 January 1997 (age 28)	34	1	Cincinnati	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
DF	Ismaila Sodiq	(2003-08-13) 13 August 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Remo Stars	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
DF	Kenneth Omeruo	(1993-10-17) 17 October 1993 (age 31)	69	1	Kasımpaşa	v.  Mali, 26 March 2024
DF	Jamilu Collins	(1994-08-05) 5 August 1994 (age 30)	30	0	Cardiff	v.  Mali, 26 March 2024
DF	Tyronne Ebuehi	(1995-12-16) 16 December 1995 (age 29)	12	0	Empoli	v.  Mali, 26 March 2024
DF	Gabriel Osho	(1998-08-14) 14 August 1998 (age 26)	0	0	Luton Town	v.  Mali, 26 March 2024
DF	Zaidu Sanusi	(1997-06-13) 13 June 1997 (age 28)	22	0	Porto	2023 Africa Cup of Nations
DF	Kevin Akpoguma	(1995-04-19) 19 April 1995 (age 30)	8	0	1899 Hoffenheim	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
DF	Jordan Torunarigha	(1997-08-07) 7 August 1997 (age 27)	1	0	Gent	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
MF	Joe Aribo	(1996-07-21) 21 July 1996 (age 28)	34	2	Southampton	2023 Africa Cup of Nations
MF	Kelechi Nwakali	(1998-06-05) 5 June 1998 (age 27)	4	0	Chaves	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
FW	Victor Osimhen	(1998-12-29) 29 December 1998 (age 26)	37	22	Galatasaray	v.  Rwanda, 10 September 2024
FW	Paul Onuachu	(1994-05-28) 28 May 1994 (age 31)	24	3	Trabzonspor	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
FW	Terem Moffi	(1999-05-25) 25 May 1999 (age 26)	18	4	Nice	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
FW	Nathan Tella	(1999-07-05) 5 July 1999 (age 25)	1	0	Bayer Leverkusen	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
FW	Umar Sadiq	(1997-02-02) 2 February 1997 (age 28)	11	1	Real Sociedad	v.  Mali, 26 March 2024
FW	Cyriel Dessers	(1994-12-08) 8 December 1994 (age 30)	6	2	Rangers	v.  Mali, 26 March 2024
FW	Ahmed Musa	(1992-10-14) 14 October 1992 (age 32)	110	18	Kano Pillars	2023 Africa Cup of Nations
FW	Emmanuel Dennis	(1997-11-15) 15 November 1997 (age 27)	8	1	İstanbul Başakşehir	2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE
INJ The player is not part of the current squad due to injury PRE Preliminary squad/standby RET Retired from the national team SUS Serving suspension WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Player Records

Statistics include official FIFA-recognized matches only. Players in bold are still active with Nigeria.

Most Appearances

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Ahmed Musa	109	16	2010–present
2	Vincent Enyeama	101	0	2002–2015
	Joseph Yobo	101	7	2001–2014
4	Mikel John Obi	91	6	2005–2019
5	Nwankwo Kanu	86	12	1994–2011
	Mudashiru Lawal	86	11	1975–1985
7	Alex Iwobi	81	10	2015–present
8	Jay-Jay Okocha	73	14	1993–2006
	William Troost-Ekong	73	7	2015–present
10	Moses Simon	72	9	2015–present

Top Goalscorers

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Career
1	Rashidi Yekini	37	62	0.6	1983–1998
2	Victor Osimhen	23	38	0.61	2017–present
	Segun Odegbami	23	47	0.47	1976–1981
4	Yakubu Aigyegbeni	21	58	0.36	2000–2012
5	Ikechukwu Uche	19	46	0.41	2007–2014
6	Obafemi Martins	18	42	0.43	2004–2015
7	Samson Siasia	17	49	0.35	1984–1998
8	Odion Ighalo	16	37	0.43	2015–present
	Ahmed Musa	16	109	0.15	2010–present
10	Asuquo Ekpe	14	28	0.5	1956–1966
	Julius Aghahowa	14	32	0.44	2000–2007
	Kelechi Iheanacho	14	54	0.26	2015–present
	Jay-Jay Okocha	14	73	0.19	1993–2006

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup Record											Qualification Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Total
1930	Part of  United Kingdom										Part of  United Kingdom
1934 to 1958	Not a FIFA member										Not a FIFA member
1962	Did not qualify										2	0	1	1	3	6	1962
1966	Withdrew										Withdrew
1970	Did not qualify										8	3	4	1	15	12	1970
1974											4	1	2	1	3	4	1974
1978											8	3	3	2	17	8	1978
1982											8	3	2	3	8	8	1982
1986											6	5	0	1	11	3	1986
1990											6	3	1	2	7	5	1990
1994	Round of 16	9th	4	2	0	2	7	4	Squad		8	5	2	1	17	5	1994
1998		12th	4	2	0	2	6	9	Squad		6	4	1	1	10	4	1998
2002	Group stage	27th	3	0	1	2	1	3	Squad		10	6	2	2	19	3	2002
2006	Did not qualify										10	6	3	1	21	7	2006
2010	Group stage	27th	3	0	1	2	3	5	Squad		12	9	3	0	20	5	2010
2014	Round of 16	16th	4	1	1	2	3	5	Squad		8	5	3	0	11	4	2014
2018	Group stage	21st	3	1	0	2	3	4	Squad		8	5	2	1	13	6	2018
2022	Did not qualify										8	4	3	1	10	4	2022
2026	To be determined										4	0	3	1	4	5	2026
2030											To be determined
2034
Total	Round of 16	6/16	21	6	3	12	23	30	—		116	62	35	19	189	89	–

Africa Cup of Nations

Africa Cup of Nations Record											Qualification Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1957	Not part of CAF										Not part of CAF
1959
1962	Withdrew										4	1	2	1	4	5
1963	Group stage	6th	2	0	0	2	3	10	Squad		2	0	1	1	2	3
1965	Withdrew										Withdrew
1968	Did not qualify										4	1	1	2	4	5
1970	Withdrew										Withdrew
1972	Did not qualify										2	0	1	1	1	2
1974											4	2	1	1	7	9
1976	Third place	3rd	6	3	1	2	11	10	Squad		2	2	0	0	3	1
1978	Third place	3rd	5	2	2	1	8	5	Squad		4	2	1	1	7	4
1980	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	8	1	Squad		Qualified as hosts
1982	Group stage	6th	3	1	0	2	4	5	Squad		Qualified as holders
1984	Runners-up	2nd	5	1	3	1	7	8	Squad		4	1	2	1	2	1
1986	Did not qualify										2	0	1	1	0	1
1988	Runners-up	2nd	5	1	3	1	5	3	Squad		4	2	1	1	6	3
1990	Runners-up	2nd	5	3	0	2	5	6	Squad		4	2	2	0	8	2
1992	Third place	3rd	5	4	0	1	8	5	Squad		8	4	3	1	15	3
1994	Champions	1st	5	3	2	0	9	3	Squad		6	3	2	1	12	1
1996	Withdrew										Qualified as holders
1998	Banned										Banned
2000	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	2	0	12	5	Squad		Qualified as hosts
2002	Third place	3rd	6	3	2	1	5	2	Squad		6	4	2	0	9	1
2004	Third place	3rd	6	4	1	1	11	5	Squad		4	2	2	0	7	3
2006	Third place	3rd	6	4	1	1	7	3	Squad		10	6	3	1	21	7
2008	Quarter-finals	7th	4	1	1	2	3	3	Squad		6	5	0	1	10	3
2010	Third place	3rd	6	3	1	2	6	4	Squad		12	9	3	0	20	5
2012	Did not qualify										6	3	2	1	12	5
2013	Champions	1st	6	4	2	0	11	4	Squad		4	2	2	0	10	3
2015	Did not qualify										6	2	2	2	9	7
2017											4	1	2	1	2	2
2019	Third place	3rd	7	5	0	2	9	7	Squad		6	4	1	1	14	6
2021	Round of 16	9th	4	3	0	1	6	2	Squad		6	4	2	0	14	7
2023	Runners-up	2nd	7	4	2	1	8	4	Squad		6	5	0	1	22	4
2025	Qualified										5	3	2	0	8	1
2027	To be determined										To be determined
2029
Total	3 Titles	20/34	104	57	24	23	146	95	—		126	67	39	20	221	93

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via a penalty shoot-out.

**Red border color means the tournament was held in Nigeria.

African Nations Championship

African Nations Championship Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2009	Did not qualify
2011
2014	Third place	3rd	6	3	2	1	12	8
2016	Group stage	10th	3	1	1	1	5	3
2018	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	7	6
2020	Did not qualify
2022
Total	Runners-up	3/7	15	8	4	3	24	17

WAFU Nations Cup

WAFU Nations Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2010	Champions	1st	5	5	0	0	14
2011	Runners-up	2nd	4	1	0	0	9
2013	Did not enter
2017	Runners-up	2nd	4	1	0	0	9
2019	Quarter-finals
Total	1 Title	3/4	13	7	0	0	32	9

FIFA Confederations Cup

FIFA Confederations Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
1992	Did not qualify
1995	Fourth place	4th	3	1	2	0	4	1	Squad
1997	Did not qualify
1999
2001
2003
2005
2009
2013	Group stage	5th	3	1	0	2	7	6	Squad
2017	Did not qualify
Total	Fourth place	2/10	6	2	2	2	11	7

Team Honours