Сборная Нигерии по футболу — команда, представляющая Нигерию в международных турнирах по футболу.
Контролируется Нигерийской футбольной ассоциацией. 30 июня 2010 снялась со всех международных соревнований до 2012 года[1], но 5 июля 2010 президент Нигерии Гудлак Джонатан отменил свой запрет, и сборная Нигерии приняла участие в отборочном турнире к Кубку африканских наций 2012[2]. 4 октября 2010 последовал новый запрет на международные матчи Нигерии — со стороны ФИФА за вмешательство государства в дела футбольной федерации[3].Место в рейтинге ФИФА — 58 (июль 2012 года).
Сборная Нигерии дебютировала на чемпионатах мира в 1994 году и произвела там сенсацию, сначала заняв первое место в группе с Аргентиной, Болгарией и Грецией, а затем едва не выбив из борьбы команду Италии. Лишь на последних минутах матча 1/8 финала Роберто Баджо сравнял счёт, а в дополнительное время он же забил победный мяч. Наставник той команды, голландец Клеменс Вестерхоф, позже был признан лучшим тренером сборной Нигерии за всю её историю. В 1998 году Нигерия под руководством Боры Милутиновича повторила предыдущий результат, но закончила своё выступление бесславным разгромом от Дании 1:4. Между двумя этими первенствами нигерийцы впервые в истории африканского футбола выиграли Олимпийский футбольный турнир в Атланте-1996, который до этого был лишь прерогативой сборных из Европы и Южной Америки. Именно поэтому поражение во Франции стало особенно болезненным.
На чемпионате мира в Японии и Корее в 2002 году сборная Нигерии угодила в «группу смерти» к командам Англии, Аргентины и Швеции и выбраться из неё в плей-офф не сумела, а через четыре года «суперорлы» и вовсе не прошли квалификацию, уступив путёвку на чемпионат мира в Германии команде Анголы.
Сборная Нигерии впервые завоевала главный трофей африканского футбола в 1980 году, когда турнир проводился на её территории. Второй титул команда выиграла в 1994 году.
В 1996 году сборная Нигерии стала обладателем золотых олимпийских медалей, по пути обыграв сборные Аргентины и Бразилии. Кроме того, в активе сборной пять побед на молодёжных и три победы на юниорских кубках Африки, а также три титула чемпионов мира среди игроков до 17 лет.
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Федерация футбола Нигерии | |
Премьер лига · Национальная лига | |
Кубок Нигерии | |
Основная сборная · Молодежная сборная · Женская сборная · Пляжный футбол | |
Super Four | |
Клубы Нигерии · Стадионы Нигерии |
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1. Африканская конфедерация футбола – The Confederation of African Football is the administrative and controlling body for African association football. CAF represents the football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions. CAF is the biggest of six continental confederations of FIFA, CAF has been given 5 slots out of the 32 available since the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, this increased to 6 in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, to include the hosts. The number of places returned to 5 for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and its first headquarters was situated in Khartoum, Sudan for some months until a fire outbreak in the offices of the Sudanese Football Association when the organization moved near Cairo. Youssef Mohammad was the first General Secretary and Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem the president, the administrative center since 2002 is located in 6th of October City, near Cairo. It was initially made up of 4 national associations, currently there are 56 associations,55 full members since the inclusion of Zanzibar in March 2017 and Réunion Island as associate. The current CAF President is Ahmad Ahmad, suketu Patel is the 1st Vice-President, Almamy Kabele Camara is the 2nd Vice-President while Essam El Dine Ahmed is the Acting Secretary General. Hayatou announced that he would seek another term as president for the 16 March 2017 election. On March 16,2017, Ahmad Ahmad from Madagascar was elected president, in July 2016, Total has secured an eight-year sponsorship package from the Confederation of African Football to support 10 of its principal competitions. Total started with the Africa Cup of Nations that was held in Gabon therefore renaming it Total Africa cup of Nations. Reunion holds associate membership of CAF, Zanzibar held associate membership from 1980 to 2017 when it became a full member - albeit without voting rights for CAF presidency elections, the main competition for mens national teams is the Africa Cup of Nations, started in 1957. In 2009, CAF will be organising another competition for national teams. CAF also runs national competitions at Under-20 and Under-17 levels, a third competition, the CAF Cup, started in 1992 and was absorbed into the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004. The CAF Super Cup, which pits the winners of the Champions League against the winners of the CAF Confederation Cup, the Afro-Asian Club Championship was jointly organised with AFC between the winners of the CAF Champions League and the winners of the AFC Champions League. The last Afro-Asian Club Championship took place in 1998, * jointly organised with AFC Legend For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament are shown. Teams are sorted by number of appearances, Legend Legend The following clubs are the top 10 clubs in CAF competitions
2. Футбольная федерация Нигерии – The Nigeria Football Federation organises domestic and international football in Nigeria. It was formally launched in 1945 and formed the first Nigerian national football team in 1949 and it joined FIFA and the CAF in 1960. The NFF headquarters are in the city of Abuja, as of 2008 it organises three leagues, The Nigerian Premier League, the Amateur League and the Womens League, and five competitions, including the Federation Cup and Womens Cup. Pa Mulford Pius Quist D. H. Holley Harvey Miller Dennis J. Slattery R. B. Allen Godfrey Amachree F. A. Ogunmuyiwa Louis Edet May M. S. Adawale A. B. Solaja cited two Nigerian Daily Times articles dated from 21 July and 21 August 1933, the first was an article called titled Proposed Football Association, the latter was an advert invited people to attend an open meeting. The NFA Secretary at that time was F. B Mulford, with a Lagos address. ”In July 2014, upon the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Nigeria was suspended from FIFA, however Nigeria was back for the 2014 FIFA U-20 Womens World Cup. In September, another dispute risked leading to Nigeria missing qualifying for 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, but problems were resolved, NFF official site Nigeria at the FIFA website
3. Эньеама, Винсент – Vincent Enyeama is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Lille as a goalkeeper. He was also a member of the Nigerian national team from 2002 until October 2015 and he is his nations most capped player of all time, ending his international career with 101 caps. In June 2011 he moved to French side Lille for a fee on a three-year contract. In August 2012 Enyeama agreed a loan deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv and was presented to the media by Maccabis Sports Director Jordi Cruyff at 8 August 2012. With the help of his two centre-backs, Marko Baša and Simon Kjær, Enyeama kept 11 consecutive clean sheets in Ligue 1 matches during the first half of the season. He thus came within 114 minutes of equalling Gaëtan Huards Ligue 1 goalkeeping record, set during the 1992-93 season while playing for Bordeaux, of playing 1,176 minutes without conceding a goal. After making his debut for the Nigeria national football team against Kenya in May 2002 and he made his competitive debut in that tournament, keeping a clean sheet against England in the third group match. He has also participated in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, Enyeama stopped three kicks in the quarter-final penalty shootout against Tunisia, but could not prevent a loss to Côte dIvoire in the semi-final. In the 2010 tournament, he was again Nigerias shootout hero at the stage, saving from Zambias Thomas Nyrienda. Enyeama made his second FIFA World Cup participation in the 2010 tournament in South Africa, in Nigerias opening match, he was named man of the match, producing a defiant display to restrict Argentina to a 1–0 win. Enyeama, who was playing his 56th international for the Super Eagles, made six fine saves against the world champions. Argentine coach Diego Maradona praised him as the reason Messi was not able to score a goal, Enyeama was also awarded man of the match in the teams next fixture, a 2–1 loss to Greece, but was at fault for Vasilis Torosidis winning goal. At the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Enyeama deputised for regular captain Joseph Yobo, on 10 February, Enyeama led Nigeria to its third continental victory, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 defeat of Burkina Faso in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Final. He was named to the team of the tournament as first choice goalkeeper, in June 2014, Enyeama was named in Nigerias squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the Super Eagles first fixture, he kept the second FIFA World Cup clean sheet of his career as Nigeria drew 0–0 with Iran. He subsequently recorded a second shutout in the fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 26 March 2015, Enyeama won his 100th cap for Nigeria in a 1–0 loss to Uganda and he retired from international football on 8 October 2015. In 2004 Enyeama was involved in a car accident in Uyo, southern Nigeria, the driver of the car, of which Enyeama was in, was left in critical condition
4. Йекини, Рашиди – Rashidi Yekini was a Nigerian footballer who played as a striker. His professional career, which spanned more than two decades, was associated with Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal, but he also played in six other countries besides his own. Yekini scored 37 goals as a Nigerian international, and represented the nation in five major tournaments and he was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993. Yekini was born in Kaduna, of Yoruba origin, in the summer of 1994, Yekini was bought by Olympiacos FC, but did not get along with teammates and left soon after. In 2003, aged 39, he returned to the Nigerian championship with Julius Berger FC, in April 2005, 41-year-old Yekini made a short comeback, moving alongside former national teammate Mobi Oparaku to Gateway United FC. Scoring 37 goals for Nigeria in 58 appearances, Yekini was the record goalscorer. He was part of the team participated in the 1994. Additionally, Yekini helped the Super Eagles win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations where he topped the goal charts and was named best player of the competition. He also participated at Olympic level in Seoul 1988, scores and results list Nigerias goal tally first. Yekini was reported to be ill for a period of time. In 2011, news media in Nigeria begun issuing reports of his failing health, and he was said to suffer from bipolar disorder, depression and some other undisclosed psychiatric condition. He died in Ibadan on 4 May 2012 at the age of 48, Rashidi Yekini at TheFinalBall. com Rashidi Yekini at ForaDeJogo Rashidi Yekini at BDFutbol Rashidi Yekini at National-Football-Teams. com Rashidi Yekini – FIFA competition record
5. Рейтинг сборных ФИФА – The rankings were introduced in December 1992, and eight teams have held the top position, of which Brazil have spent longest ranked first. A points system is used, with points being awarded based on the results of all FIFA-recognised full international matches, the ranking system was most recently revamped after the 2006 World Cup, with the first edition of the new series of rankings issued on 12 July 2006. The most significant change is that the rankings are now based on results over the four years instead of the previous eight years. Alternative systems have been devised, such as the World Football Elo Ratings, based on the Elo rating system used in chess and Go, ranking teams. In December 1992, FIFA first published a listing in order of its member associations to provide a basis for comparison of the relative strengths of these teams. From the following August, this list was more frequently updated, significant changes were implemented in January 1999 and again in July 2006, as a reaction to criticisms of the system. Membership of FIFA has expanded from 167 to 209 since the rankings began, the ranking formula used from August 1993 until December 1998 was very simplistic and quickly became noticed for its lack of supporting factors. When the rankings were introduced, a team received one point for a draw or three for a victory in FIFA-recognised matches – much the same as a traditional league scoring system. This was a simplistic approach, however, and FIFA quickly realised that there were many factors affecting international matches. In order to meet the objective of fairly and accurately comparing the strengths of various national sides. In January 1999, FIFA introduced a system of ranking calculation. For the ranking all matches, their scores and importance were all recorded, only matches for the senior mens national team were included. Separate ranking systems were used for other national sides such as womens and junior teams. The womens rankings were, and still are, based on a procedure which is a version of the Football Elo Ratings. FIFA announced that the system would be updated following the 2006 World Cup. The evaluation period was cut from eight to four years, goals scored and home or away advantage are no longer taken into account, and other aspects of the calculations, including the importance attributed to different types of match, have been revised. The first set of revised rankings and the methodology were announced on 12 July 2006. This change is rooted at least in part in widespread criticism of the ranking system
6. Сборная Сьерра-Леоне по футболу – Sierra Leones first match was at home on 10 August 1949 against another British colony, Nigeria, and was lost 2–0. In 1954 they played another British colony and British administered U. N trust territory, Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland, on 22 April 1961 they again hosted Nigeria and lost 4–2. On 12 November 1966 they hosted Liberia in their first match against a colony and earned their first draw. A week later, they lost 2–0 in Liberia, on 13 January 1971 Sierra Leone played their first match against a non-African team, West Germanys B-team. The match in Sierra Leone was won 1–0 by the Germans, Sierra Leones first match outside of Africa was also their first against an Asian nation, China. They lost 4–1 in China on 5 April 1974, in August 2014, the Sierra Leone FA cancelled all football matches in an effort to stop the spread of the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in Sierra Leone, a week after the Liberian FA did the same. The Sierra Leonean national team isnt allowed to play home games, in 2016 Sierra Leone entered the Grecian Shield at Exeter university on Sunday 13 March. Caps and goals updated as of 3 September 2016 after the game against Côte dIvoire. The following players have selected in the past 12 months
7. Лагос – Lagos /ˈleɪɡɒs/ is a city in the Nigerian state of Lagos. The city, with its conurbation, is the largest in Nigeria. It is one of the fastest growing in the world, Lagos is a major financial centre in Africa, the megacity has the highest GDP, and also houses one of the largest and busiest ports on the continent. Due to rapid urbanization, the city expanded to the west of the lagoon to include areas in the present day Lagos Mainland, Ajeromi-Ifelodun and Surulere. This led to the classification of Lagos into two main areas - the Island, which was the city of Lagos, before it expanded into the area known as the Mainland. Lagos, the capital of Nigeria since its amalgamation in 1914, however, the state capital was later moved to Ikeja in 1976, while the federal capital also moved to Abuja in 1991. This conurbation makes up 37% of Lagos States total land area, the exact population of Metropolitan Lagos is disputed, In the 2006 federal census data, the conurbation had a population of about 8 million people. However, the figure was disputed by the Lagos State Government, Lagos was originally inhabited by the Awori subgroup of the Yoruba people in the 15th century, who called it Oko. Under the leadership of the Oloye Olofin, the Awori moved to an island now called Iddo and then to the larger Lagos Island. In the 16th century, the Awori settlement was conquered by the Benin Empire and the became a Benin war-camp called Eko under Oba Orhogba. Eko is still the name for Lagos. Lagos, which means lakes, was a given to the settlement by the Portuguese. The present-day Lagos state has a percentage of Awori, who migrated to the area from Isheri along the Ogun river. Throughout history, it was home to a number of warring ethnic groups who had settled in the area. Following its early settlement by the Awori nobility, and its conquest by the Bini warlords of Benin, Portuguese explorer Rui de Sequeira visited the area in 1472, naming the area around the city Lago de Curamo. Another explanation is that Lagos was named for Lagos, Portugal—a maritime town which, in 1849, Britain appointed John Beecroft Consul of the Bights of Benin and Biafra, a position he held until his death in 1854. John Duncan was appointed Vice Consul and was located at Wydah, at the time of Beecrofts appointment, the Kingdom of Lagos was in the western part of the Consulate of the Bights of Benin and Biafra and was a key slave trading port. Oba Akitoye then signed the Treaty between Great Britain and Lagos abolishing slavery, the signing of the 1852 treaty ushered in the Consular Period in Lagos history wherein Britain provided military protection to Lagos
8. Сборная Бенина по футболу – The Benin national football team, nicknamed Les Écureuils, is the national football team of Benin and is controlled by the Fédération Béninoise de Football. They were known as the Dahomey national football team until 1975 and they have never qualified for the World Cup, but have reached three recent African Nations Cups –2004,2008, and 2010. On May 9,2016, Benin was suspended from FIFA, the following players have been called up for Benin squad within the past 12 months. Notes DEC Player declined the call-up to the squadINJ Player withdrew from the due to an injury
9. Сборная Ганы по футболу – The Ghana national football team represents Ghana in international association football and has done so since the 1950s. The team is nicknamed the Black Stars after the Black Star of Africa in the Flag of Ghana and it is administered by the Ghana Football Association, the governing body for football in Ghana and the oldest football association in Africa. Prior to 1957, the team played as the Gold Coast, the team has won the Africa Cup of Nations four times and has been runner-up 5 times. After going through 2005 unbeaten, the Ghana national football team won the FIFA Best Mover of the Year Award and reached the second round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, they became only the third African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, and in 2014 they competed in their third consecutive World Cup. The Gold Coast Football Association was founded in 1920 then succeeded by the Ghana Football Association in 1957 and they also reached the final of the tournament in 1968 and 1970, losing 1–0 on each occasion, to DR Congo and Sudan respectively. Their domination of this tournament earned the Black Stars team the nicknames of the Black Stars of West Africa, after three failures to reach the tournament final, the 1992 African Cup of Nations saw the Black Stars finish second. In 2008, Ghana reached a ranking of 14 according to the FIFA World Rankings. The Black Stars went on to secure a 100 percent record in their campaign, winning the group. In the final tournament, the competed in Group D with Germany. Ghana reached the round of 16 where they played the United States, in 2013 Ghana became the only team in Africa to reach four consecutive semi-finals of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations twice, from 1963 and 1970 and from 2008 and 2013. Ghana was sufficiently highly ranked by FIFA to start their qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in the Second round and they won the group, and in the following round qualified for the 2014 World Cup finals in November 2013, beating Egypt 7–3 on aggregate in a two-legged play-off. Ghana was drawn in Group G for the finals, where they faced Germany, Portugal, there is no home stadium for the Black Stars. Some smaller, regional stadia were used in the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying and 2004 African Cup of Nations qualification qualifying campaigns. The black star is present on the Flag of Ghana and national coat of arms in the center of the national crest. Adopted following the independence of Ghana in 1957, the star has always been included in its kits. The Black Stars kits were sponsored by Puma SE from 2005, the Black Star kit is used instead of the original gold, green, and red coloured football kit that coordinates with the colours of the Ghana national flag. The Black Stars are sporting an all-white and partly black football kit which was worn from the years 1957 to 1989, the Ghana national football team football kit is ranked as the best conceptual artistic and designed football kit of any other football team
10. Аккра – Accra /əˈkrɑː/ is the capital and most populous city of Ghana, with an estimated urban population of 2.27 million as of 2012. It is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolis District, Accra stretches along the Ghanaian Atlantic coast and extends north. Originally built around three different settlements including a port, it served as the capital of the British Gold Coast between 1877 and 1957, Accra serves as the Greater Accra Regions economic and administrative hub. It is furthermore a centre of a range of nightclubs, restaurants. Since the early 1990s, a number of new buildings have been built, the citys National Theatre was built with Chinese assistance. In 2010, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network designated Accra a Gamma-minus-level world city, indicating a level of international influence. The central business district of Accra contains the main banks and department stores, and an area known as the Ministries. Economic activities in Accra include the financial and commercial sectors, fishing, and the manufacture of processed food, lumber, plywood, textiles, clothing, tourism is soon becoming a thriving business for arts and crafts, history cites and local travel & tour agents. The oxford street in Osu – Accra has grown to become the hub of business, the word Accra is derived from the Akan word Nkran meaning ants, a reference to the numerous anthills seen in the countryside around Accra. The name specifically refers to ants, and was applied to both the town and people by the Twi speakers. The name of Accra in the Ga language is also Ga or Gaga, the nasalised vowels sometimes shown as Gã or Gãgã, which is a cognate with Nkran. Historian Carl Christian Reindorf confirmed this etymology, proposing a link between the qualities and migratory behaviour of the local ants and those of the Ga people. The link between the ethonym and ants was explicitly reflected in the recognition of anthills as sacred places. Often ringed by sacred fences, the tall red mounds dotting Accras hinterland were seen as microcosms of human community, instead of viewing Ga speakers as a formidable military force, the Akan-speaking term Nkran cast Ga peoples as pests or nuisances to be controlled or exterminated. The name Ga is actually a version of the name Akan, Ga also gave its name to the Ga districts surrounding Accra. The name Accra was given to Nkran by Europeans, the main Ga group known as the Tumgwa We led by Ayi Kushie arrived by sea. When the Guan on the coast saw them on their canoes at sea, hence, the Lartehs refer to them as Nkran. Nkran was later corrupted by the Danes to Akra, then to present-day Accra, Nkran in the Ga language is Gaga, thus they also started calling themselves Ga
wikivisually.com
Команда: Сборная Нигерии
Место в рейтинге ФИФА: 50
Участие в чемпионатах мира — 5:
1 место: 02 место: 03 место: 0
Количество выигранных матчей: 5
Лучшие игроки сборной за ее историю:
Впервые о сборной Нигерии по футболу болельщики узнали на чемпионате Мира 1994 года в США. Безусловно, узкому кругу специалистов "супер-орлы" наверняка были известны и до мундиаля, но широкая общественность об этой самобытной команде практически ничего не знала.
Оно и понятно. История сборной Нигерии не такая богатая, если сравнивать с европейскими командами. Первый свой официальный матч нигерийцы провели в 1949 году, когда обыграли команду из Сьерра-Леоне. Любопытно, что независимым государством Нигерия стала только 11 лет спустя. Тогда же была образована и федерация футбола страны.
Естественно, что до обретения независимости Нигерия не принимала участия в квалификациях к чемпионатам мира, то есть с 1930 по 1958 годы. Первым квалификационным турниром для команды стал отбор на мировое первенство 1962 года в Чили. Как и следовало ожидать – первый блин для нигерийцев оказался комом, и в Южную Америку они не поехали.
То ли неудачная дебютная попытка, то ли отсутствие игроков, хотя бы среднего уровня, привели к тому, что с 1966 по 1990 годы сборная Нигерии вновь не принимала участия в отборочных играх к ЧМ. Правда, "супер-орлы" начали потихоньку осваивать африканский континент и с 1976 года активно стали участвовать в Кубке африканских наций.
На этом турнире нигерийцы с первого же раза заняли третье место, а уже на первенстве 1980 года добились первого триумфа в истории сборной, выиграв золото. Из семи последовавших Кубков, Нигерия еще четыре раза попадала в призы, а в 1994 году вновь стала сильнейшей командой Африки.
И вот в этом нет уже ничего удивительного, потому что в стране выросли футболисты, которые были способны бороться не только на локальном уровне, но и на мировом. 20 из 22 футболистов той сборной играли в Европе, а имена, зазвучавшие на чемпионате мира в США, стали известны практически всем: Даниэл Амокачи, Рашиди Йекини, Джордж Финиди, Эмануэль Амунеке и т.д.
Уже само попадание сборной Нигерии на чемпионат мира можно было считать успехом. Вряд ли кто всерьез предполагал, что африканцы смогут выйти из группы в плей-офф. Однако вскоре заговорили о том, что на мировой футбольной арене появился новый Камерун, наделавший шуму на ЧМ-1990 в Италии, чуть не выйдя в полуфинал турнира.
В первом же своем матче в США Нигерия разгромила Болгарию 3:0. Да, да – ту самую Болгарию с Христо Стоичковым и Йорданом Лечковым, которые в ¼ финала "похоронили" сборную Германии. Во второй игре африканцы вполне ожидаемо проиграли Аргентине 1:2 (Марадона с Каниджей свою работу выполнили на пять с плюсом). В заключительном матче группы Нигерия встречалась с Грецией и, выиграв 2:0, вышла в 1/8 финала с первого места.
© Sputnik / Мария Плотникова
Сборные Аргентины и Нигерии не раз встречались на разных крупных турнирах, и, несмотря на звездный статус, не всегда "бело-голубые" могли обыграть "супер-орлов".
На ЧМ в США было множество матчей полных драматизма, когда проигравшая сторона просто не понимала – как такое могло произойти? Одной из таких встреч стала игра 1/8 финала между сборными Нигерии и Италии. Уже на 26 минуте "супер-орлы" вышли вперед. Во втором тайме итальянцы остались в меньшинстве, после удаления Дзолы. До выхода в ¼ финала на первом же мундиале нигерийцам не хватило чуть меньше двух минут. Не хватило опыта, умения играть по счету и концентрации. Справедливости ради, стоит сказать, что "могильщиком" сборной Нигерии стал Роберто Баджо – пожалуй, лучший игрок того турнира. Герой и антигерой всей Италии на чемпионате.
За минуту и 45 секунд до финального свистка Баджо, вышедший только на замену, по причине плохого самочувствия, сравнял счет. А в дополнительное время с пенальти забил победный гол и, несмотря на численный перевес, оставил Нигерию за бортом мундиаля.
Но уже через два года Нигерия вновь заставила говорить о себе весь мир совершив невозможное. Произошло это на Олимпиаде в Атланте, когда в полуфинале турнира африканцы со счетом 4:3 обыграли сборную Бразилии с Ривалдо, Роналду, Роберто Карлосом, Бебето. При этом по ходу встречи нигерийцы уступали 1:3. В финале же Олимпиады по всем показателям превзошли Аргентину 3:2 с Креспо, Лопесом, Симеоне, Ортегой, Айялой. Победный гол на 90 минуте забил Амунеке.
Лидером сборной Нигерии того образца стал Нванко Кану. Но и, помимо нападающего "Аякса", в команде было множество других первоклассных футболистов: Бабангида, Бабайаро, Тарибо Уест, Окоча, Олисе. Поэтому перед ЧМ-1998 во Франции сборная Нигерии стала рассматриваться специалистами всерьез, и "супер-орлам" прочили место как минимум в полуфинале.
Уже на групповой стадии Нигерия подтвердила всю серьезность своих намерений, обыграв в красивейшем матче Испанию 3:2. Затем последовала победа с минимальным счетом 1:0 над Болгарией (опять Болгария) и лишь в заключительной встрече нигерийцы уступили Парагваю 1:3. Хотя злые языки утверждают, что это было сделано специально, чтобы не пустить в плей-офф испанцев. Так, в конечном итоге и получилось – Нигерия и Парагвай вышли в 1/8 финала.
© Sputnik / Нина Зотина
В успехах сборной Нигерии, где основными религиями являются христианство и ислам, можно узреть Промысел Божий или волю Аллаха. Но и без веры болельщиков в свою команду не обошлось.
Что произошло с африканской командой в игре с Данией – сказать сложно: может быть, слишком рано уверовали в свои силы и непобедимость. Так или иначе, но скандинавы продемонстрировали Нигерии настоящий мастер-класс, победив 4:1. Имея все шансы улучшить свои показатели на ЧМ, Нигерия несолоно хлебавши вновь остановилась на стадии 1/8 и после матча с Данией собрала чемоданы.
На трех последовавших мундиалях (в 2006 году команда не прошла отбор), сборная Нигерии особых успехов не добилась. В 2002 и 2010 годах "супер-орлы" не смогли преодолеть групповую стадию, а в 2014 году вновь остановились на заколдованной стадии 1/8 финала. На сей раз обидчиком Нигерии стала сборная Франции, победившая 2:0.
На ЧМ-2018 в России Нигерия сыграет в очень непростой группе с Аргентиной, Исландией и Хорватией. Конечно, не стоит делать поспешных выводов, но вряд ли опыта Мозеса, Ихеаначо и Ивоби хватит на то, чтобы справиться с Месси-Агуэро, Модричем-Ракитичем. Про "викингов" из сборной Исландии вообще лучше промолчать.
Первый свой матч на ЧМ-2018 Нигерия проведет 16 июня против Хорватии в Калининграде. Тогда и будет понятно – готово ли "супер-орлы" к тому, чтобы в очередной раз попытаться переписать историю своей сборной.
Всю информацию о предстоящем чемпионате мира по футболу в России можно найти в спецпроекте FIFA-2018.
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