Odemwingie: My Most Memorable Super Eagles Goal

The former Lille star scored a few crucial goals at every major tournament for Nigeria but attached special significance to his match-winning strike against Bosnia

Osaze Odemwingie has picked his strike in the Super Eagles’ second group game against the European nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup as his fondest goal scored for Nigeria.

Odemwingie enjoyed a brilliant international career, netting ten goals in 63 appearances and claiming three AFCON bronze medals for the three-time African champions.

The ex-West Bromwich Albion striker is one of a few Nigerian forwards to have found the back of the net at the African Cup of Nations, the Olympic Games, and the World Cup.

Some of his memorable strikes include the brace he netted on his AFCON debut in a thrilling win over South Africa in 2004 and his quarter-finals goal against the Ivory Coast at the 2008 Olympics.

But Odemwingie insists none of those goals is as unique as his easy finish that secured Nigeria’s win over Bosnia, the only victory recorded by the coach Stephen Keshi-led Eagles at the 2014 World Cup.

“The World Cup goal that I dedicated to my son was a special one,” the former Stoke City ace said in an Instagram chat with the Super Eagles media team.

“As a striker, you must set a target for yourself, and my personal target then was to score in every major tournament for Nigeria.

“I read a lot, and I have read about some great players not scoring at the AFCON, World Cup, Olympics, and the likes, so I always wanted to achieve that. Before the goal at the World Cup, the only championship missing was the World Cup.

“Four years before that 2014 World Cup, I was actually thinking my head touched the ball in the goals scored by Uche against Greece, but was disappointed as I cannot claim that goal, so I was like, I will have to wait for another four years for a goal at the Mundial.

“When I got the goal against Bosnia, it was a great moment for me. So I will give it to that goal because it completed the circle, I scored at the Olympics, AFCON and the World Cup.

“It was also special because I already promised my son, who was just two weeks old at that moment.