Nigeria's U20 national team, the Flying Eagles, will return to the site of one of their most traumatic experiences as a team in search of a first ever FIFA U-20 World Cup title. Three and half decades after they subjected expectant fans to soul-crushing tournament performances, crashing out in the group stage after going into the 1987 event as one of the favourites, the Nigerians return to Chile to exorcise those demons. After a disappointing U20 AFCON, where they lost to South Africa in the semifinals, the seven-time African champions are desperately in need of a spark to rekindle support from their world-weary fans and get them back on onside.
Two pre-tournament friendlies, in Rancagua and Santiago, provide cause for some optimism. They drew 1-1 with Chile in the first and beat Australia 3-1 in the second. Returning veterans Daniel Bameyi and Daniel Daga, who were both part of the last class, provide experience needed to guide the current crop as they face Norway on September 29, Saudi Arabia on October 2 and Colombia on October 5 in group play.
The Haunting Memories of Chile
If the Flying Eagles are hoping to emulate Ghana and become only the second African team to win the FIFA Under 20 World Cup, they could not have picked a worse venue to make that attempt. Chile is the site of Nigeria's most traumatic experience at this tournament. Two years after stunning the world, and probably even themselves, by winning the first ever FIFA Under 17 World Cup, the core of that team, led by captain Nduka Ugbade, headed to Chile to mount a challenge at the next level.
Joining Ugbade from that world-conquering Golden Eaglets team were goalkeeper Lucky Agbonsevbafe, midfielders Sani Adamu and Victor Igbinoba, along with striker Jonathan Akpoborie. Akpoborie and Igbinoba scored both goals in that historic Eaglets win over Germany. But the abundance of talent did not end there. The team also the electrifying skills of Etim 'Maradona' Esin, arguably one of the most naturally gifted players to have come out of Nigeria. Not to mention the silky, rangy passing of John Ene Okon, Willy Opara's outstanding shot-stopping, and the emerging midfield genius of Thompson Oliha, who went on to become a Super Eagles stalwart and won the 1994 AFCON.
With all of that talent, it was no surprise that the team travelled to Chile with great fanfare and huge expectations, with fans and media back home crowning them champions even before they had kicked a ball. It did not take long for those hopes to be brutally extinguished. Clinically exposed by Brazil in their opening game, they were torn apart in a 4-0 demolition. And then, in a game they were expected to canter to an easy win against Canada, a late goal saw the North Americans claim a 2-2 draw. Italy applied the coupe de grace with a 2-0 defeat as the Flying Eagles returned home, tail between their legs and bottom of a group they were expected to contest with Brazil.
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Opara, touted as the next great goalkeeper prior to the tournament, saw the sun set on his senior international career after that. Things got so bad even at club level that he left ACB in Lagos to pursue a career with Orlando Pirates in South Africa. The story was the same for the majority of the team. Oliha was the only member of that squad to enjoy a significant senior international career.
It will take a place on the podium for the Flying Eagles to exorcise the ghosts of Chile that haunt many a Nigerian football fan of a certain generation.
The Miracle of Dammam
If returning to Chile stirs up memories that Nigerians would rather forget, being drawn alongside Saudi Arabia might be a counterweight that brings better memories of this competition for Nigeria. It was in that country, back in 1989, that the Flying Eagles created one of the most stirring comebacks in football history, what has come to be known as "The Miracle of Dammam".
Miracle of Dammam, Saudi ‘85. NIGERIA vs USSR 9️⃣:7️⃣
Playing in the quarterfinal against the Soviet Union at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Dammam, the Nigerians were three goals down at half time and looking out of it. Within the hour mark that score had gone up to 4-0 and it looked like the Soviets were going to run up the score on the hapless Nigerians. Many Nigerian fans, following the game at home, switched off. Only a hardy few remained to follow the radio commentary. Nigeria looked down and out.
But the Flying Eagles had other plans. Three minutes after that fourth goal, Dimeji Lawal scored what looked to be only a consolation from a well-worked freekick. But then, with 15 minutes to go, it was another freekick that got Nigeria going. Chris Ohenhen ripped in a spectacular effort to bring score to 4-2. Could Nigerians dare to believe? Not yet... Maybe?
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Less than 10 minutes after Ohenhen's goal, midfielder Samuel Elijah sneaked in behind the three Soviet defenders on the left channel, found space on the top of the box and let fly. The comeback was well and truly on. The Flying Eagles had momentum and within one minute of that goal, they were level. Slick midfield play found Nduka Ugbade on the right channel, he held off his man and fired a rocket into the roof of the net. Like a movie, it was 4-4!
Back home in Nigeria, the scenes across the country, even with the game still on, were simply incredible. Fans poured into the streets in celebration, TV sets were turned back on, and time seemed to stand still. The score stayed the same after extra time and the game went to penalties, where the Flying Eagles converted all five of their kicks, and the demoralized Soviets only managed to make three of theirs, with Nigeria goalkeeper Emeka Amadi saving Mirjalol Qosimov's kick.
Nigerians went wild, history was made and legends were born. Perhaps the current group might want to draw inspiration from there.
Seeking the U20 Holy Grail
Nigeria became the first African country to win a FIFA world title when the Golden Eaglets won the inaugural Under 16 World Cup in 1985. That age group has gone on to win four more world titles, making them the most successful country at that level, with Brazil a close second, one title behind them. They also became the first African country to win an Olympic gold medal in football when they beat Argentina in the final of the 1996 Games in Atlanta. But despite being one of the top youth countries in the world, the one title that has eluded them at age group level has been this one.
They have come close enough, finishing as runners-up to Portugal 1989 in Saudi Arabia and in 2005 in The Netherlands, where a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina pipped them to the post. Since then, their best performances have been two quarterfinal appearances, in Canada two years later and at the tournament in Argentina in 2023, where they were denied a place in the semifinal by South Korea after extra time.
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The current team have not experienced the same sort of high expectations that teams of the past have carried into this tournament. Although they are expected to advance from a group that includes Norway, Saudi Arabia and Colombia, few back home expect them to do much better than a semifinal place at best.
Elite Club Members: Daga and Bameyi
Nduka Ugbade, Abdul Jaleel Ajagun (2011, 2013), Kayode Olanrewaju (2011, 2013), Edafe Egbedi (2011, 2013) and Wilfred Ndidi (2013, 2015), Moses Simon (2013, 2015) are all veterans of this tournament for the Flying Eagles, but they have something in common that others who have played for the team do not have. All six belong to a rarefied group of players who have participated in two U20 tournaments for Nigeria. Ugbade, following his U17 heroics in 1985, played at the U20 World Cup in 1987 and was the only surviving member of that nightmare to make it to the 1989 squad, a first for Nigeria.
For 23 long years, he was the only player to do so. And then three came along all at once. The trio of Ajagun, Olanrewaju and Egbedi, who followed up their participation in the 2011 tournament with a second in 2013. Ajagun made some additional history of his own when he became only the 13th player to score at two tournaments. The trio were immediately followed by Wilfred Ndidi and Moses Simon at the very next tournament.
It is now the turn of the two Daniels to join the exclusive club.
Flying Eagles: Potential Super Eagles Mainstays
Since their first appearance at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 1983, Nigeria's Flying Eagles have produced a pathway for players to make it into the Super Eagles. That, after all, is the objective of youth football tournaments. For Nigeria, between their first appearance and the 2019 tournament, each iteration of Flying Eagles have produced at least three players who have gone on to earn at least two senior international appearances for the Super Eagles.
By far the most successful class of Flying Eagles was the class of 2005, led by captain Issac Promise and the star power of John Mikel Obi. That iteration of Flying Eagles produced the most players to go on to play for the Super Eagles. A total of 12 players went on to make at least two appearances for the senior team. Out of that number, eight made more than 10 appearances, for an average of nearly 30 appearances per player.
At the other end of the spectrum is the 2019 class, where only the trio of Ikouwem Udoh with four appearances, Valentine Ozornwafor and Igoh Ogbu with two appearances so far, have contributed the least and are not expected to make significant inroads into the national team.
Five Potential Super Eagles
- Sani Suleiman, 19 (FWD/AS Trencin): Suleiman is rated as the top talent in the Nigerian team and among the top teen prospects in global football. Good with both feet, he is quick, technically skilled and creative. When things get tight for the Nigerians in Chile, Suleiman would be the one they will likely look to, to weave some moments of magic. And as fans call for more creativity in the Super Eagles, Suleiman could provide a potential option.
- Ebenezer Harcourt, 15 (GK/Sporting Lagos): Ebenezer Harcourt has already made Nigerian football history, becoming the youngest player ever, at just 15 years old, to make a senior appearance for Nigeria when he competed at the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), making one appearance against Congo. With goalkeeping being one area of struggle for the Super Eagles since the departure of Vincent Enyeama, Harcourt's development will be welcomed by the Super Eagles.
- Orseer Achihi, 19 (LW/Antwerp): Signed by Belgian club Royal Antwerp from PSF Academy in Nigeria this summer, Achihi offers echoes of former Everton forward Daniel Amokachi. Among his biggest strengths are his power, balance and pace. There are big expectations that those qualities would not only help the Flying Eagles, but also translate to the senior level in the near future.
- Daniel Daga, 18 (DM/FK Molde): One of two players making their return to this tournament, Daga is less of an unknown to Nigerian fans and more of a "waiting in the wings" talent. With holding midfield gradually becoming an issue for the Super Eagles, his strong tackling, spatial awareness and disruptive play will be expected to come in handy, not to mention his eye for goal, after scoring twice for Molde in just 12 appearances.
- Odinaka Okoro, 18 (LB/Sporting Lagos): Odinaka's story is an inspiring journey of coming from working in an aluminium shop in Owerri to finding a spot on the Sporting Lagos Academy, making it to the first team and all the way to representing Nigeria at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. A versatile player, Odinaka can play as a left back, left wing back and left midfielder.
