Nigeria national football team facts for kids

The Nigeria national football team is a famous football team that plays for Nigeria in international men's football games. They are often called the Super Eagles. The team is managed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). They have won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) three times, with their last win in 2013. As of February 2024, the Super Eagles were ranked 28th in the FIFA World Rankings.

The Super Eagles have played in six of the last eight FIFA World Cups, reaching 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).

Quick facts for kids
Nigeria

Nickname(s)	Super Eagles
Association	Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach	Éric Chelle
Captain	Ahmed Musa
Most caps	Ahmed Musa (110)
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	21 (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

Team History

Early Football Days

The Nigeria "UK Tourists" national team before their trip to the UK in 1949. They were known as the "Red Devils" because of their red shirts.

Nigeria first played unofficial football games against other colonies in 1938. Their first official game was in October 1949, when Nigeria was still a British colony. Before that, a team of players from Lagos went on a tour of England in 1949. They played against amateur teams like Marine A.F.C. and Bishop Auckland.

First Big Wins (1963–1980)

Nigeria first played in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963. They did not make it past the first stage. Their first major success was winning a gold medal at the 1973 All-Africa Games in 1973. The team then finished third in the 1976 and 1978 African Cup of Nations. In 1980, Nigeria won the Africa Cup for the first time in Lagos. This was a huge moment for the team.

Olympic Success

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 also reached the final at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but lost to Argentina.

Rivalries and Challenges (1980–1990)

Nigeria hosted and won their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980. They reached the Cup of Nations final in 1984, 1988, and 2000, but lost to Cameroon each time. This created a big rivalry between the two countries. Nigeria also missed out on qualifying for the 1990 World Cup because of Cameroon.

World Cup Debut and More AFCON Wins (1992–2006)

Nigeria finished third in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1992. They then won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, which was their second time winning the tournament.

Countries that qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup are shown in dark green

Clemens Westerhof managed the team from 1989 to the 1994 World Cup.

Nigeria played in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 1994. They were led by coach Clemens Westerhof. Nigeria won their group, which included Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece. They beat Bulgaria 3–0 and Greece 2–0, but lost to Argentina 1–2. In the second round, Nigeria played Italy. They were winning 1–0 until the last two minutes, when Italy scored to tie the game. Italy then scored again in extra time to win 2–1.

In 1996, Nigeria pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations due to political issues. This led to them being banned from the 1998 tournament.

1998 World Cup

Nigeria returned to the World Cup in 1998. They were in a group with Spain, Bulgaria, and Paraguay. Nigeria surprised everyone by beating Spain 3–2. They qualified for the second round after winning against Bulgaria and losing to Paraguay. However, their hopes ended when they lost 4–1 to Denmark. This is the only World Cup where Nigeria did not play Argentina in the group stage.

After 1998, Nigeria finished as runners-up in the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations. They then finished third in the 2002, 2004, and 2006 tournaments.

2002 and 2006 World Cups

Nigeria qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan. They were in a tough group with Sweden, Argentina, and England. Nigeria lost their first game to Argentina 1–0. They then lost to Sweden 2–1 and drew 0–0 with England, which meant they were out in the first round.

Nigeria did not qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They finished with the same points as Angola in their qualification group, but Angola had a better record against them.

Recent Years (2008–Present)

Egypt versus Nigeria lineup at 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria lost in the quarter-finals to Ghana. They qualified for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations but were knocked out by Ghana in the semi-finals.

On November 14, 2009, Nigeria qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup by beating Kenya 3–2.

Nigeria played against South Korea at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

At the 2010 World Cup, Nigeria lost their first game to Argentina 1–0. They then lost to Greece 2–1 after a player received a red card. In their last group game against South Korea, Nigeria drew 2–2. This result meant Nigeria was eliminated from the World Cup with only one point.

Nigeria did not qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. However, they won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations by beating Burkina Faso 1–0 in the final. This was their third AFCON title.

2014 World Cup

Line-ups for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Group F match between Nigeria and Bosnia & Herzegovina

Nigeria started their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 0–0 draw against Iran. Four days later, they beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 1–0, which was their first World Cup win since 1998. They then played Argentina and lost 3–2, but still qualified for the Round of 16.

In the Round of 16, Nigeria played France. Nigeria held them off until the 79th minute when France scored. An own goal by Nigeria's captain Joseph Yobo in injury time made the score 2–0. Nigeria was out of the tournament. This was the third time Nigeria was eliminated in the Round of 16 at the World Cup.

2018 World Cup

Nigeria vs Iceland at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Nigeria vs Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Nigeria was the first African team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. They were in a tough group with Zambia, Algeria, and Cameroon. They won their first group match against Zambia 2–1 and beat Algeria 3–1. They also beat Cameroon home and away.

At the 2018 World Cup, Nigeria lost their first match 0–2 to Croatia. They then won 2–0 against Iceland, with Ahmed Musa scoring both goals. In their last group game, they lost 2–1 to Argentina. This meant Nigeria was eliminated from the tournament.

2019 Africa Cup of Nations

The Super Eagles started the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations by beating Burundi 1–0. They also beat Guinea but lost 2–0 to Madagascar. In the Round of 16, they defeated Cameroon 3–2. They then beat South Africa 2–1 in the quarter-finals. Nigeria faced Algeria in the semi-finals and lost after a late free kick. They then played Tunisia for third place and won 1–0, with Odion Ighalo being the top scorer of the tournament.

Cyriel Dessers played his first game for the national football team of Nigeria in 2020.

2021 Africa Cup of Nations

Nigeria qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. They won all three of their group stage matches, beating Egypt 1–0, Sudan 3–1, and Guinea-Bissau 2–0. However, they lost 1–0 to Tunisia in the Round of 16 on January 23, 2022.

2022 World Cup

Nigeria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2022. This was the first time in 16 years they missed the tournament. They lost to Ghana on the away goals rule after drawing both matches.

2023 Africa Cup of Nations

The Super Eagles started the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1–1 draw against Equatorial Guinea. They then defeated hosts Ivory Coast 1–0 and Guinea Bissau 1–0. In the Round of 16, Nigeria beat Cameroon 2–0. They went on to defeat Angola in the quarter-finals. Nigeria faced South Africa in the semi-finals and won 4–2 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 1–1. In the final, the Super Eagles finished as runners-up, losing 2–1 to hosts Ivory Coast.

Team Look

Argentina versus Nigeria in a friendly match on 14 November 2017

Kits and Badges

The Nigeria national team usually wears green and white kits, which are the colors of the Nigerian flag. The home kit is mostly green with white numbers and details. The away kit is all white. The shade of green has changed over the years, but it's usually a standard green like the one on the flag. Before Nigeria became independent, the team wore red shirts and white shorts. They were known as the "Red Devils."

On April 23, 2015, Nike became the official supplier of Nigeria's kits. Nike also supplied their kits from 1994 to 2003. The kit Nike designed for the 2018 World Cup became very popular.

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

The team's nickname changed over time. Before independence, they were the "Red Devils." After independence, they became the "Green Eagles," referring to 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." Only the senior men's team uses this nickname now. The women's team is called the "Super Falcons," and the younger male teams are the "Flying Eagles" and "Golden Eaglets."

Supporters

Nigerian football supporters at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia

Nigerian football fans are very passionate. At home matches, they wear green outfits, wigs, hats, and sunglasses. They dance, sing, play drums and trumpets, and wave flags. They also travel to support the team in away matches.

A common sight at Nigerian home matches is the brass and percussion band. They play popular Highlife songs, making the games feel unique. A popular chant after a goal is "Oshe Baba!", which means "Thank you father!" in Yoruba.

Team Rivalries

Ghana

Ghana vs. Nigeria in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Quarter-Final.

Ghana is Nigeria's biggest rival. They have played each other more than any other opponent. Both teams are very successful in Africa. Their rivalry started in the 1950s when both were British colonies. This match-up is often called the Jollof Derby.

Cameroon

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

Argentina

Nigeria starting eleven versus Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Nigeria has played Argentina in the group stage of five out of their six World Cup appearances. Argentina has won all five matches, but they were all very close games, decided by only one goal. For example, Argentina won 2–1 in 1994, 1–0 in 2002, 1–0 in 2010, 3–2 in 2014, and 2–1 in 2018.

Nigeria has beaten Argentina twice in friendly matches. Their Olympic teams also played in the gold medal match in 1996, which Nigeria won 3–2. Argentina won the 2008 Olympic final 1–0. For many Nigerian fans, playing Argentina is a way to see how much their team has improved.

Home Stadium

Abuja home stadium

The Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja is the official home stadium of the Super Eagles. However, many important home matches are now played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

Super Eagles Match Venues

Results and Upcoming Games

This section shows the results of Nigeria's football matches in the last year and any games planned for the future.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

Nigeria  v  Ghana

22 March Friendly	Nigeria	2–1	Ghana	Marrakech, Morocco
15:00 UTC±0	Dessers  38' (pen.) Lookman  84'		Ayew  90+5' (pen.)	Stadium: Stade de Marrakech Referee: Rédouane Jiyed (Morocco)

Nigeria  v  Mali

26 March Friendly	Nigeria	0–2	Mali	Marrakech, Morocco
19:00 UTC±0			Touré  18' K. Doumbia  87'	Stadium: Stade de Marrakech Referee: Samir Guezzaz (Morocco)

Nigeria  v  South Africa

7 June 2026 World Cup qualification	Nigeria	1–1	South Africa	Uyo, Nigeria
20:00 UTC+1	Dele-Bashiru  46'		Zwane  29'	Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Referee: Alhadi Allaou Mahamat (Chad)

Benin  v  Nigeria

10 June 2026 World Cup qualification	Benin	2–1	Nigeria	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
16:00 UTC±0	J. Dossou  37' Mounié  45+3'		Onyedika  27'	Stadium: Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)

Nigeria  v  Benin

7 September 2025 AFCON qualification	Nigeria	3–0	Benin	Uyo, Nigeria
17:00 UTC+1	Lookman  45+2', 83' Osimhen  78'			Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Referee: Alamin Alhadi Mohamed (Sudan)

Rwanda  v  Nigeria

10 September 2025 AFCON qualification	Rwanda	0–0	Nigeria	Kigali, Rwanda
17:00 UTC+2				Stadium: Amahoro Stadium Referee: Karim Sabry (Morocco)

Nigeria  v  Libya

11 October 2025 AFCON qualification	Nigeria	1–0	Libya	Uyo, Nigeria
17:00 UTC+1	Dele-Bashiru  86'			Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Referee: Godfrey Nkhakananga (Malawi)

Libya  v  Nigeria

15 October 2025 AFCON qualification	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 was cancelled because the Nigerian team was reportedly stuck at the airport for over 12 hours. CAF later awarded the win to Nigeria.

Benin  v  Nigeria

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

Nigeria  v  Rwanda

18 November 2025 AFCON qualification	Nigeria	1–2	Rwanda	Uyo, Nigeria
	Chukwueze  59'		Mutsinzi  72' Nshuti  75'	Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium

2025 Matches

Rwanda  v  Nigeria

21 March 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification	Rwanda	0–2	Nigeria	Kigali, Rwanda
17:00 UTC+1			Osimhen  11', 45+3'	Stadium: Stade Amahoro Referee: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)

Nigeria  v  Zimbabwe

25 March 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification	Nigeria	1–1	Zimbabwe	Uyo, Nigeria
17:00 UTC+1	Osimhen  74'		Chirewa  90'	Stadium: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Referee: Tsegay Mogos Teklu (Eritrea)

Nigeria  v  Ghana

28 May 2025 Unity Cup	Nigeria	2–1	Ghana	London, England
	Dessers  14' Simpson  19'(o.g)		Thomas-Asante  70'	Stadium: Gtech Community Stadium

Nigeria  v  Jamaica

31 May 2025 Unity Cup	Nigeria	2–2 (5–4 p)	Jamaica	London, England
	Simon  9' Chukwueze  53'		Dixon  12' Russell  63'	Stadium: Gtech Community Stadium
	Penalties
	Iheanacho Simon Arokodare Onyemaechi Uche		King Hayden Morrison Atkinson Bell

Russia  v  Nigeria

6 June Friendly match	Russia	1-1	Nigeria	Moscow, Russia
20:00 UTC+3				Stadium: Luzhniki Stadium

Nigeria  v  Rwanda

September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Nigeria

v

Rwanda

Nigeria

South Africa  v  Nigeria

September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

South Africa

v

Nigeria

South Africa

Lesotho  v  Nigeria

October 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Lesotho

v

Nigeria

TBA

Nigeria  v  Benin

October 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Nigeria

v

Benin

Nigeria

Nigeria  v  Tanzania

23 December 2025 AFCON GS	Nigeria	v	Tanzania	Fez, Morocco
13:00 UTC+1				Stadium: Fez Stadium

Nigeria  v  Tunisia

27 December 2025 AFCON GS	Nigeria	v	Tunisia	Fez, Morocco
13:00 UTC+1				Stadium: Fez Stadium

Uganda  v  Nigeria

30 December 2025 AFCON GS	Uganda	v	Nigeria	Fez, Morocco
18:00 UTC+1				Stadium: Fez Stadium

Coaching Staff

The Super Eagles have a team of coaches. The technical adviser is the main coach for international matches. The chief coach is the first assistant, and the second assistant coach helps with the home-based team and other competitions.

Position	Name
Technical director	Augustine Eguavoen
Head coach	Éric Chelle
Assistant coach	Fidelis Ilechuku
Assistant coach	Daniel Ogunmodede
Goalkeeping coach	Olatunji Baruwa
Fitness coach	Tomaž Zorec
Video analyst	Afolabi Adebayo
Match analyst	Eboboritse Uwejamomere

Coaching History

Many coaches have led the Super Eagles over the years.

Players

Current Squad

These players were called up for recent matches in May and June 2025. Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of May 28, 2025, after the match against Ghana.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Maduka Okoye	(1999-08-28) 28 August 1999 (age 25)	17	0	Udinese
23	1GK	Stanley Nwabali	(1996-06-10) 10 June 1996 (age 29)	20	0	Chippa United
	1GK	Amas Obasogie	(1999-12-27) 27 December 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Singida Black Stars
2	2DF	Sodiq Ismaila	(2003-08-13) 13 August 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Remo Stars
3	2DF	Waliu Ojetoye	(2004-04-29) 29 April 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Hapoel Jerusalem
5	2DF	Igoh Ogbu	(2000-02-08) 8 February 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Slavia Prague
6	2DF	Semi Ajayi	(1993-11-09) 9 November 1993 (age 31)	42	1	West Bromwich Albion
13	2DF	Bruno Onyemaechi	(1999-04-03) 3 April 1999 (age 26)	13	0	Olympiacos
17	2DF	Nduka Junior	(2003-08-01) 1 August 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Remo Stars
20	2DF	Ifeanyi Onyebuchi	(2000-04-04) 4 April 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Rangers International
21	2DF	Felix Agu	(1999-09-27) 27 September 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Werder Bremen
	2DF	William Troost-Ekong	(1993-09-01) 1 September 1993 (age 31)	78	7	Al-Kholood
	2DF	Ola Aina	(1996-10-08) 8 October 1996 (age 28)	46	0	Nottingham Forest
	2DF	Bright Osayi-Samuel	(1997-12-31) 31 December 1997 (age 27)	22	0	Birmingham City
4	3MF	Wilfred Ndidi	(1996-12-16) 16 December 1996 (age 28)	64	0	Leicester City
8	3MF	Frank Onyeka	(1998-01-01) 1 January 1998 (age 27)	30	1	FC Augsburg
12	3MF	Papa Daniel	(2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Niger Tornadoes
22	3MF	Chinemerem Ugwueze	(2001-05-20) 20 May 2001 (age 24)	1	0	Rangers International
24	3MF	Saviour Isaac	(2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Rangers International
	3MF	Raphael Onyedika	(2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 24)	16	1	Club Brugge
	3MF	Fisayo Dele-Bashiru	(2001-02-06) 6 February 2001 (age 24)	6	2	Lazio
	3MF	Christantus Uche	(2003-05-19) 19 May 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Getafe
7	4FW	Ahmed Musa	(1992-10-14) 14 October 1992 (age 32)	111	18	Kano Pillars
9	4FW	Cyriel Dessers	(1994-12-08) 8 December 1994 (age 30)	7	3	Rangers
10	4FW	Tolu Arokodare	(2000-11-23) 23 November 2000 (age 24)	2	0	Genk
11	4FW	Samuel Chukwueze	(1999-05-22) 22 May 1999 (age 26)	45	6	Milan
14	4FW	Kelechi Iheanacho	(1996-10-03) 3 October 1996 (age 28)	57	15	Middlesbrough
15	4FW	Moses Simon	(1995-07-12) 12 July 1995 (age 30)	79	9	Nantes
18	4FW	Alimi Sikiru	(1996-03-23) 23 March 1996 (age 29)	1	0	Remo Stars
19	4FW	Nathan Tella	(1999-07-05) 5 July 1999 (age 26)	1	0	Bayer Leverkusen
	4FW	Victor Boniface	(2000-12-23) 23 December 2000 (age 24)	12	1	Bayer Leverkusen
	4FW	Umar Sadiq	(1997-02-02) 2 February 1997 (age 28)	12	1	Valencia

Recent Call-ups

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

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Kayode Bankole	(2002-10-16) 16 October 2002 (age 22)	1	0	Remo Stars	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
GK	Olorunleke Ojo	(1995-08-17) 17 August 1995 (age 29)	0	0	Al-Merrikh	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
DF	Calvin Bassey	(1999-12-31) 31 December 1999 (age 25)	30	0	Fulham	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
DF	Jordan Torunarigha	(1997-08-07) 7 August 1997 (age 27)	1	0	Gent	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
DF	Gabriel Osho	(1998-08-14) 14 August 1998 (age 26)	2	0	Auxerre	v.  Rwanda, 18 November 2024
DF	Victor Collins	(2000-11-02) 2 November 2000 (age 24)	0	0	Nasarawa United	v.  Rwanda, 18 November 2024
DF	Benjamin Tanimu	(2002-07-24) 24 July 2002 (age 23)	3	0	Crawley Town	v.  Libya, 11 October 2024
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)	32	1	Colorado Rapids	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
DF	Kenneth Igboke	(2005-07-27) 27 July 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Rangers International	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
MF	Alex Iwobi	(1996-05-03) 3 May 1996 (age 29)	83	10	Fulham	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
MF	Joe Aribo	(1996-07-21) 21 July 1996 (age 29)	34	2	Southampton	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
MF	Alhassan Yusuf	(2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 25)	9	0	New England Revolution	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
MF	Ibrahim Olawoyin	(1997-12-01) 1 December 1997 (age 27)	2	0	Çaykur Rizespor	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
FW	Victor Osimhen	(1998-12-29) 29 December 1998 (age 26)	39	25	Galatasaray	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
FW	Ademola Lookman	(1997-10-20) 20 October 1997 (age 27)	28	8	Atalanta	v.  Zimbabwe, 25 March 2025
FW	Taiwo Awoniyi	(1997-08-12) 12 August 1997 (age 27)	10	2	Nottingham Forest	v.  Libya, 11 October 2024
FW	Chidera Ejuke	(1998-01-02) 2 January 1998 (age 27)	8	0	Sevilla	v.  Libya, 11 October 2024
FW	Paul Onuachu	(1994-05-28) 28 May 1994 (age 31)	24	3	Southampton	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
FW	Terem Moffi	(1999-05-25) 25 May 1999 (age 26)	18	4	Nice	v.  Benin, 10 June 2024
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

These are the players with the most appearances and goals for Nigeria. Players in bold are still playing for Nigeria.

Most Games Played

Ahmed Musa has played the most games for Nigeria with 111 appearances.

Top Goal Scorers

Team Achievements

Major Competitions

• Africa Cup of Nations
  • Champions (3): 1980, 1994, 2013
  • Runners-up (5): 1984, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2023
  • Third place (8): 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2019
• African Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1973
  • Silver medal (1): 1978

Other Awards

• FIFA Best Mover of the Year: 2000
• World Soccer Team of the Year: 1996
• African National Team of the Year: 1993, 1994, 2013

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Nigeria para niños

• Nigeria national under-23 football team
• Nigeria national under-20 football team
• Nigeria national under-17 football team
• Nigeria women's national football team