International Football
THE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS IN NUMBERS
335 – thousand is the rough population that makes Iceland easily the smallest nation to reach a World Cup. Trinidad and Tobago, which had a 1.3 million population in 2006, had previously held this distinction.
98 was Saudi Arabia’s position on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking when they kicked off their triumphant qualification campaign. Chile were fourth just four months ago, but failed to make the 32-team field.
90 was Switzerland’s win percentage in Group B, yet they only finished as its runners-up. Never had a European team registered a win percentage as high but not qualified directly for the World Cup. Portugal’s 2-0 win in their final outing ended Switzerland’s 27-game unbeaten run in World Cup preliminaries.
41 points is what Brazil managed – the second-highest in a South American qualifying campaign. Juan Sebastian Veron, Ariel Ortega, Hernan Crespo and Gabriel Batistuta helped Argentina reach Korea/Japan 2002 with 43 points. After Tite assumed the reins of the stuttering Seleção, they became the first South American side to win nine successive World Cup preliminaries.
39 was the sensational goal difference Germany managed (43 goals for; four against) to set an all-time record in UEFA qualifying. Joachim Low’s men won all ten of their matches to become the only team from any confederation to reach Russia with a perfect record.
32 years had passed since the Netherlands failed to qualify for back-to-back tournaments until they followed up missing out on UEFA EURO 2016 by finishing third in their Russia 2018 qualification group.
28 years: that is the World Cup absence Egypt will end in Russia. Since last appearing at the global finals in 1990, the Pharaohs have curiously won four CAF Africa Cup of Nations crowns.
21 goals is what makes Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez the joint-leading marksmen in South American qualifying history. At the start of the 2018 preliminaries, Messi and Suarez had 14 and 16 respectively, behind Ivan Zamorano (17), Marcelo Salas (18) and record-holder Hernan Crespo (19).
17 goals is what USA registered in the Hexagonal – more than any other team – yet they finished fifth and missed out on qualifying for an eighth consecutive World Cup.
16 goals, scored in just ten appearances, is what made Poland’s Robert Lewandowski the leading marksman, across all confederations (level with Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al Sahlawi and UAE’s Ahmed Khalil), in Russia 2018 qualifying. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who was one goal shy, was Lewandowski’s nearest challenger in Europe. Both broke the previous record tally in a UEFA qualifying campaign held by Yugoslavia’s Predrag Mijatovic (14).
12 consecutive World Cup qualifying clean sheets is what Iran became the first team from any confederation to record. Team Melli’s run eventually ended, after 18 hours and 41 minutes, and when they had already secured a ticket to Russia, in their final outing against Syria.
9 straight World Cups is what Korea Republic will appear in next year – after participating in just one, in 1954, before the run started. Only Brazil (21), Germany (17), Argentina (12) and Spain (11) have made it to more in succession, with Italy hoping to win their play-off and extend their run to 15.
- Courtesy FIFA
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Junior Aruna Shines in Luxembourg, Wins Two Medals at WTT Youth Contender
Nigeria’s Suleimon Makes History with Gold at World Sambo Cup in Armenia
Nigeria’s Table Tennis Elite Converge in Osun for ₦5m Alabi Memorial Championship
- AFCON6 days ago
Motsepe in Dakar: CAF Intensifies Diplomatic Push After AFCON Final Dispute
- Governing Bodies1 week ago
The Building of Another Sports Dynasty: From Fahmy to Adamu
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
A Battle at Both Ends as NPFL Heads Into Home Stretch
- World Cup1 week ago
Italy federation chief resigns after another World Cup failure
- Boxing1 week ago
Wilder edges retiring Chisora in chaotic heavyweight boxing fight
- UEFA Champions League5 days ago
Late Havertz strike gives Arsenal 1-0 advantage over Sporting
- World Cup1 week ago
Seven Nations End Long World Cup Droughts Ahead of 2026 Tournament
- UEFA Champions League6 days ago
‘Fans More Friends’- Heineken Takes UEFA Champions League Fever Nationwide with Multi-City Fan Experience