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The Nigerian national football team is nicknamed the Super Eagles. They are two times African champions,1980 and 1994 respectively. The Super Eagles have been finalists on four other occasions. Three of their four loses have ironically been to Cameroon, leading to an intense rivalry between the two nations.
Nigeria made her world cup debut in 1994, parading players such as Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi, Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amunike, J J Okocha and Sunday Oliseh. In their opening game they demolished a Hristo Stoichkov led Bulgaria by 3:0 with goals from Yekini, Amokachi and Amunike. In the second group game they faced a Maradona led Argentina, and were narrowly defeated by 1:2 having first taken the lead. They proceeded to the knock out stages by beating Greece in their final group game 2:0. The second round saw the Super Eagles face eventual winners Italy. Again having taken the lead they ended up 1:2 losers after extra time.
Nigeria made successive world cup appearances in 1998, where again they were eliminated in the second round, and 2002 where they exited the competition at the group stage.
During the 2010 African Nations Cup/World Cup qualifications, the super eagles were grouped alongside Tunisia, Mazambique and Kenya in Group B. As huge favourites, they however strugled to qualify. They needed a win against Kenya and a Tunisia defeat to Mozambigue on the last day of matches to qualify.
For the African Nations Cup, they have been gouped alongside Benin, Egypt and Mozambique in group C.
Full Squad:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel) Bamidele Aiyenugba (Bnei Yehuda, Israel) Austin Ejide (unattached) Defenders: Joseph Yobo (Everton, England), Danny Shittu (Bolton, England) , Obinna Nwaneri and Yusuf Mohammed (both FC Sion, Switzerland) Taye Taiwo (Marseille, France) Elderson Echiejile (Rennes, France), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Onyekachi Apam (Nice, France). Midfielders: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth, England), John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England), Dickson Etuhu (Fulham, England) Sani Kaita (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia) Yusuf Atanda Ayila (Dynamo Kiev, Ukraine), Oluwaseyi George Olofinjana (Hull City, England), Kalu Uche (Almeria, Spain). Strikers: Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton, England), Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Michael Eneramo (Esperance, Tunisia), Obinna Nsofor (Malaga, Spain), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg, Germany).
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