BY KUNLE SOLAJA

Japan will attempt to achieve a historic first when they face Brazil in the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup, but standing in their way is a Seleção side with an outstanding record on American soil.

The Samurai Blue have never won a World Cup knockout match and are seeking to break new ground by reaching the Round of 16 for the first time in their history.

Their task, however, could hardly be more daunting. Brazil are unbeaten in ten FIFA World Cup matches played in the United States, recording seven victories and three draws while producing some of their most memorable performances on American soil.

The five-time world champions enter the knockout rounds as one of the tournament favourites and will be determined to avoid becoming the victims of one of the competition’s biggest upsets.

Japan have shown throughout the tournament that they are capable of competing with the world’s elite, combining tactical discipline with technical quality and relentless work rate.

Yet Brazil’s experience, attacking depth and historical pedigree make them formidable opponents as the pressure of knockout football begins to intensify.

A place in the Round of 16 awaits the winners, with Japan hoping to create history and Brazil looking to preserve both their unbeaten American record and their dream of lifting a sixth World Cup title.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA

Co-hosts Canada became the first team to book a place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after Stephen Eustaquio’s dramatic stoppage-time strike secured a 1-0 victory over South Africa in their Round of 32 clash on Sunday.

Just when the contest appeared destined for extra time, Eustaquio unleashed a powerful effort from outside the penalty area in the 92nd minute to send the home crowd into celebration and end South Africa’s historic World Cup run.

The victory marked Canada’s first-ever win in a World Cup knockout match and ensured the North Americans would become the first nation to advance to the last 16 of the expanded 48-team tournament.

South Africa, playing in their maiden World Cup knockout fixture, produced a determined display and looked set to force an additional 30 minutes before Eustaquio’s late intervention shattered their hopes.

The Canadians had come close to breaking the deadlock before halftime when defender Moise Bombito saw his effort dramatically cleared off the line.

Despite enjoying periods of pressure, Canada struggled to find a way past a resilient South African side that defended stoutly and threatened to frustrate the co-hosts.

However, with penalties looming, Eustaquio delivered the decisive moment, firing home from distance to spark wild celebrations among the Canadian supporters.

The result ends South Africa’s most successful World Cup campaign, while Canada continue their historic journey in the tournament.

Canada will now face the winner of Monday’s Round of 32 encounter between Morocco and the Netherlands in Houston on Saturday, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

For South Africa, the defeat signals the end of a memorable campaign, but their progress to the knockout stage represents a significant achievement and another positive chapter in African football’s strongest collective World Cup performance.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK

As African teams continue to make headlines at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 by securing places in the knockout stage, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are watching from afar.

It is a painful contrast for a nation that once carried Africa’s hopes at the World Cup and whose national team should have had its 77th anniversary this weekend.

While Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and South Africa have all captured global attention with impressive performances in the expanded 48-team tournament, Nigeria remains one of the notable absentees from football’s biggest stage.

The timing is particularly poignant.

This weekend marked 77 years since the formation of Nigeria’s first national football team, the foundation upon which the modern Super Eagles were built.

On June 26, 1949, the then Nigeria Football Association announced the first-ever squad assembled to represent the country internationally, giving birth to what would eventually become one of Africa’s most celebrated football institutions.

Yet as the anniversary passed, Nigerian football fans were left reflecting on what might have been had the Super Eagles successfully navigated the qualification series for the World Cup being jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Africa Flying High

The absence of Nigeria has become even more glaring because of the performances of fellow African nations.

Morocco, Africa’s standard-bearers since their historic semi-final appearance at Qatar 2022, have once again advanced to the knockout rounds after an impressive campaign.

Egypt, inspired by Mohamed Salah but increasingly reliant on a broader supporting cast, reached the World Cup knockout phase for the first time in their history.

Senegal created history by becoming the first African team to score five goals in a World Cup match, while Côte d’Ivoire secured a maiden appearance in the knockout stage.

Perhaps the biggest fairy tale belongs to Cape Verde, the tiny island nation that progressed from the group stage in its first-ever World Cup appearance.

South Africa have also carried the continent’s flag proudly and are preparing for a Round of 32 encounter with co-hosts Canada.

For many Nigerian supporters, the success of these nations serves as both inspiration and frustration.

From Pioneers to Continental Powerhouse

The irony is that Nigeria’s national team was born from ambition and vision.

Following a series of selection matches involving players from different regions of the country, the NFA Selection Committee on June 26, 1949 unveiled the first 17 players chosen to represent Nigeria internationally.

Five days later, an 18th player was added.

The squad included pioneering figures such as Sam Ibiam, Dan Anyiam, Tesilimi Balogun, Titus Okere, Etim Henshaw, Peter Anieke and Sokari Dokubo.

Initially known as the “International Group” and later the “UK Tourists,” the team was assembled for a historic goodwill tour of the United Kingdom in August 1949.

Captain Donald H. Holley, then chairman of the NFA, managed the squad, while debates over team selection and captaincy generated public interest long before the team embarked on its journey.

Those pioneers laid the foundation for what would become one of Africa’s most successful national teams.

Over the years, the team evolved from the UK Tourists to the Red Devils, then the Green Eagles and eventually the Super Eagles.

The national team went on to win three Africa Cup of Nations titles, claim Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996 and qualify for six FIFA World Cups between 1994 and 2018.

A Date of Mixed Memories

The anniversary also coincides with one of the darkest chapters in Nigeria’s World Cup history.

June 28 brings back memories of the Super Eagles’ disastrous 4-1 defeat by Denmark in the Round of 16 at France ’98, widely regarded as the team’s worst performance at a World Cup finals.

Yet there have been brighter moments attached to the same period.

On June 26, 2019, exactly 70 years after the announcement of Nigeria’s first national team squad, the Super Eagles defeated Guinea 1-0 in Egypt to become the first team to qualify for the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Today, however, the conversation revolves around absence rather than achievement.

Looking Ahead

As the Super Eagles celebrate 77 years of existence, the anniversary serves as both a celebration of a proud history and a reminder of unfinished business.

The team that emerged from a list of 17 names announced in 1949 grew into Nigeria’s most powerful sporting symbol and one of Africa’s most recognisable football brands.

But with African rivals flourishing on the World Cup stage and rewriting records in North America, many Nigerian football followers are asking when the Super Eagles will once again take their place among the continent’s elite on football’s grandest platform.

Seventy-seven years after the birth of the national team, the challenge remains the same: ensuring that Nigeria’s rich football heritage is matched by consistent success on the global stage

Nigeria National Football Team timeline

• 1949 – June 26^th, UK Tourists, Nigeria’s pioneer national team, was formed.
• 1949 – October 8^th, Nigeria’s first international match, a 2-0 defeat of Sierra Leone in Freetown
• 1951 – October 20^th, Nigeria’s first cup victory, a 5-0 defeat of Gold Coast (Ghana) in the Jalco Cup
• 1973 – January 18^th, Nigeria beat Guinea 2-0 to win the gold medal of the 2^nd All Africa Games in Lagos: Nigerian football’s first continental achievement.
• 1980 – March 22^nd: Nigeria’s first AFCON title
• 1993 –October 8^th: On the 44^th anniversary of Nigeria’s first international match, the Super Eagles qualified for the World Cup for the first time.
• 1994- June 21^st: Nigeria made a winning debut in the World Cup by beating Bulgaria 3-0 in their opening match.
• 1996 – August 3: Nigeria became the first team outside Europe in 68 years to win the Olympic soccer Gold
• 2018 – June 26^th: Last World Cup appearance, a 2-1 loss to Argentina
• 2022– March 29^th: Nigeria failed in World Cup 2022 qualification
• 2025 – November 16^th: Nigeria failed in World Cup 2026 qualification

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