International Football
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: NIGERIA RULE THE WORLD
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The boys have become men and have all retired as footballers. It is 35 years today when a group of 16 Nigerian teenagers, hitherto unheralded as they left the shores of the country, stunned the world by becoming the inaugural winners of the FIFA U 16 tournament.
In so doing, they became the first team outside Europe and South America to win a FIFA competition.
So unexpected was their feat that it was speculated that the withdrawal of the maiden sponsors, Kodak, was linked to the emergence of underdogs as champions.
It was considered not too good for the marketing of Kodak, then a leading brand in photography. Kodak withdrew its sponsorship after the first edition. The second edition in Canada was sponsored by JVC.
The yet to be nicknamed Nigerian side on this date, 11 August 1985, sparked what could be easily termed as the biggest national jubilation even till date.
So overwhelming was their feat that the then military ruler, now the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari cut short his vacation to receive the players.
He later nicknamed the squad, “Golden Eaglets”, a nomenclature that has remained even 35 years later.
Even FIFA in its technical report was flowery in describing the exploits of the Nigerian gallant players.
Strength, skill and a willingness to attack were the three main ingredients used in describing the team, which outclassed West Germany 2-0 to win the inaugural FIFA Under 16 tournament in China.
On their way to winning the first of their five titles, the Nigerians proved themselves superior in virtually all facets of the game.
The Golden Eaglets coasted through the first round with a 1-0 victory over Italy, a 3-0 win against Costa Rica and a draw with Saudi Arabia, then stepped up a gear to brush aside Hungary (3-1) in the quarter-finals. They came back down to earth against Guinea, but scraped through on penalties (4-2), before triumphing over West Germany in the Final.
In the final match with the then West Germany, the game was just four minutes old when Jonathan Akpoborie shot Nigeria ahead and held on tenaciously to the tender lead till the closing minutes of the game.
In a counter attack, Victor Igbinoba broke away and scored the second goal to seal a 2-0 victory for Nigeria.
Jonathan Akpoborie and Victor Igbinoba scored the all-important goals for Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Iran in an international friendly concluded on Friday in Belek, Turkey, boosting confidence ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures.
In a match played against the backdrop of geopolitical tension surrounding the Iranian team’s World Cup preparations, Nigeria showed greater composure in key moments to emerge deserved winners.
The Super Eagles took the lead in the first half after a lively start, through Moses Simon in the 7th minute.
Nigeria doubled the lead through Akor Adams in the 51st minute. Iran reduced the deficit in the 67th minute through Medhi Taremi.
The encounter was Nigeria’s first meeting with Iran since their goalless draw at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and it provided an important test for the technical crew as they assess player combinations and tactical options.
The match also carried added attention following Iran’s pre-game protest gesture, where players wore black armbands and held schoolbags in solidarity with victims of a recent conflict-related incident.
For Nigeria, the result offers a positive platform as preparations continue, with another friendly against Jordan scheduled in the coming days. The win is expected to strengthen morale within the squad while giving the coaching crew clearer insight into the team’s readiness for future challenges.
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French soccer icon Zinedine Zidane has agreed to take over his national team’s head coaching duties following this summer’s FIFA World Cup, ESPN reported Monday.
Zidane, 53, reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the Federation Francaise de Football to replace Didier Deschamps, who has held the role since 2012.
Zidane, who managed La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid for two stints (2016-18, 2019-21), has long been expected to eventually become the skipper for France.
As a player, the dynamic midfielder won the 1998 Ballon d’Or and was a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000 and 2003). He helped France win the World Cup in 1998 and finish second in 2006. He was infamously sent off during the final of the 2006 World Cup when he headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest.
-Reuters
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The ‘Finalissima’ match between Spain and Argentina that was scheduled to be held in Qatar has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East, while the South American side rejected multiple alternatives, UEFA said on Sunday.
The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have affected countries throughout the Gulf, disrupting travel in some of the world’s busiest transit hubs and forcing several sporting events to be cancelled due to safety concerns.
The contest between European champions Spain and Copa America winners Argentina was scheduled for March 27 at Doha’s Lusail Stadium, where fans would have had the opportunity to watch Lionel Messi go head-to-head with Lamine Yamal.
UEFA said they held discussions with the organising authorities in Qatar and concluded that the match could not take place due to the “current political situation” in the region.
“It is a source of great disappointment to UEFA and the organisers that circumstances and timing have denied the teams of the chance to compete for this prestigious prize in Qatar,” UEFA said in a statement.
Qatar’s Local Organising Committee said airspace disruption and travel restrictions led to the cancellation of its Qatar Football Festival, where the host country, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Serbia were also set to play friendly games this month.
The Football Association of Serbia later announced they would play away in Spain on March 27 and host Saudi Arabia four days later.
OTHER ALTERNATIVES REJECTED BY ARGENTINA
The Finalissima’s cancellation was not just about Qatar’s security concerns, however, with UEFA saying they explored other feasible alternatives, but they proved to be ‘unacceptable’ to the Argentinian Football Association (AFA).
UEFA first offered to stage the match at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid with a 50:50 split of supporters in the stadium.
A second option was to stage the Finalissima over two legs — at the Bernabeu on March 27 and the second leg in Buenos Aires during an international window before the next Euros and Copa America in 2028.
However, the AFA rejected both options. UEFA said Argentina made a counter offer to play the game after the World Cup but Spain had no available dates.
“Ultimately, UEFA sought a commitment from Argentina that, if a neutral venue in Europe could be found, the game could go ahead on 27 March… or on the alternative date of 30 March. This proposal was also rejected,” UEFA added.
SPAIN WERE READY TO PLAY
The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said they had offered Argentina “all possible options” in collaboration with UEFA to ensure the match went ahead, adding that they had the organisational capacity to stage the clash on short notice.
“From the very outset, the Federation has expressed its absolute commitment to ensuring this match goes ahead, as it believes it brings prestige and international reputation at a crucial time in a World Cup year,” the RFEF said.
“Furthermore, it has worked tirelessly to achieve this. Spain was prepared to play, as has always been stated.”
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada kicks off on June 11.
The 2022 edition of the Finalissima was held at Wembley Stadium in London where Argentina beat Italy 3-0.
-Reuters
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