The mid-90s to the late 90s is seen as the golden age of the Nigerian national team, not just because the Super Eagles were the best team in Africa during this period but because of the quality of the players in the team.
The team had players like Finidi George, who was arguably the best winger in the world at a time, Kanu Nwankwo, Sunday Oliseh, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, Taribo West and Austin Jay-Jay Okocha.
These players played for the top clubs in the world then. Finidi and Kanu were part of Ajax 1995 Champions League winners while they also played for Real Betis and Arsenal, respectively.
Amuneke played for Barcelona, Taribo played for the two Milan clubs, Oliseh had spells at Borussia Dortmund and Ajax, while Ikpeba was the prince of Monaco.
During this period, the quality of Nigerian players was undeniable. Moving forward to the 2000s, the quality dropped, and it became worse in the 2010s.
However, the squad has improved in the last few years thanks to the influx of dual-nationality players choosing Nigeria.
At the just-concluded 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria missed four key players, but they were able to call up in-form players as replacements.
This is a testament to the strength in depth of the team. However, this has led to suggestions that the team has a couple of world-class players.
But while the Super Eagles squad depth cannot be denied, the suggestion that there are world-class players in the team is far from the truth.
To understand this, it’s important to know who a world-class player is. The term ‘world-class’ is a word that has been abused by football fans.
Who is a world-class player?
It’s difficult to define a world-class player because it is broad and subjective. However, we have managed to narrow it down.
A world-class player is a player who has the X-factor, consistent for both club and country, and will walk into any team in the world.
It is hard to find a Nigerian player who fits into these criteria. There have been claims that Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi are in the world-class category, but they do not tick all boxes.
Although both players have the potential to reach that level, they still need to improve. Osimhen is one of the best young talents in world football currently, and while he is a deadly finisher, the 23-year-old does not have the x-factor.
The Napoli striker is not a player that can win games on his own for the team or through individual brilliance. He also needs to stay consistent before he can be considered one of the world’s best players.
For all of his quality in front of goal, he is yet to score 15 league goals since he started playing in Europe’s top five leagues, although injuries have not helped his cause.
Osimhen’s quality is not in doubt, but he still needs to do more to be in the bracket of players like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
The same can also be said about Wilfred Ndidi, who is currently one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
But while there are only a few better ball winners than Ndidi right now, the Nigerian international will struggle to fit into a team that dominates possession.
Ndidi is a brilliant defensive midfielder, but for teams that like to have more of the ball, they want more than just a midfielder known for breaking up opponents attacking flow.
Possession based teams want a player who can contribute going forward, which is not really Ndidi’s biggest strength.
This season, he has no assist and has completed just 536 passes. In contrast, West Ham’s Declan Rice has four assists, Manchester City’s Rodri has two, while Chelsea’s N’golo Kante has provided two assists.
Ndidi has made just 39 progressive passes in the Premier League this season, with just two into the opposition’s box.
Meanwhile, Rice has completed 18 passes into the 18-yard-box and has made 89 progressive passes. Kante has made 16 passes into the opposition’s box and completed 66 progressive passes this season.
With these statistics taken into account, Ndidi may struggle to fit into some of the biggest teams in the world, except he improves on his passing ability.
It is also important to note that many Nigerian players play for mid-table and lowly-rated clubs in Europe. In the golden era of the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles had a couple of players playing at some of the biggest clubs in the world. At the same time, they were also nominated for big individual awards.
Kanu won the Africa player of the year twice, while he also finished sixth in the 1996 FIFA World Player of the year.
He finished 11th in the Ballon d’Or rankings the same year. The former Arsenal star also finished 23rd in the 1999 rankings while Finidi and Ikpeba were also nominated in the year 1995 and 1997, respectively.
This is not the situation presently. The last time a Nigerian finished in the top three of CAF Africa Player of the year was in 2014 when Vincent Enyeama finished third.
This shows a huge decline in the quality of players representing Nigeria now compared to the golden era.
Currently, only Osimhen is playing for a reputable club with a history in Europe’s top leagues. The world-class players play for the big clubs, and right now, the three-time African champions do not have that.
This is not to say all the players in the squad are below average, as the likes of Joe Aribo and Moses Simon are also good players.
But it will be a bit much to call any of them world-class as the Super Eagles do not have one.
This post was last modified on February 7, 2022 8:17 am
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Hmmmm. Can't argue with your analysis.
We just need to improve as a nation.
I hope you know Ndidi and Osimhen are African black players if not they can play in any team in the world, if Osimhen's qualities were not noticed Napoli won't pay that kind of transfer fee for him. Ndidi can walk into any team in the world, his statistics for now is because Leicester city don't play possession football just like you said if the were you would have seen the other quality that you don't know about Ndidi.
Ndidi also needs to improve on his ball striking
Life is seasonal. Nigerian players will bounce back.
Cote D'Ivore once had Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure yet the AFCON winning Nigerian team of 2013 trounced them en route to be being crowned African champions.
There was a time Cameroon had Roger Milla, Samuel Etoo, but now no world-class player presently in Cameroonian squad.
Senegal wasn't a great football nation back in the '90s, but it's a different story now.
So life like football is seasonal. Nigerian players will rise again.
Where is our under 17? Under 20? Don't we produce them again?
You must be out of your mind for such analysis....for the fact that they play in mid level clubs does not take away their quality. 2. Even with the world class players you mentioned.....we lost 4 0 to Denmark at 1998 world cup....lost nation's cup to Tunisia list nation's cup to Cameroon lost nation's cup semi final to senegal....my point save for 1994 they did not win anthing
Food ball is a team sports. I will rather we have a good team than we have brilliant individual m players....Ndidi can play outside of the coaches approach. Brendam Roger's is not an possession minded coach. Nvidia is doing fine. Osimhen remains s the only paler to have scored double digits in the history of Napoli.....this team once had Diego Amando Maradonna. But you are more concerned with 15 goals....for your information Harlaand is not better as a player ....the reason teams are wary of luring him away....if Osimhen scores 15 goals you would come back to say je has not scored 20 goals.....stop hating.....this is hatchet job....someone has over 530 passes and you are still complaining.....every player plays according to the structure of the teams and the decision of the coaches.....give this guys the credit they deserve. My point is we all want the team to do well not the individual players
The analysis is spot on, let's also not forget those players mentioned where regular players and as subs definitely influential to their individual teams.Now you have bench warmers at lowly rated teams.The state of local talents and football are non existing.The FA is clueless, corrupt, ineffective and inefficient.
The Super Eagles has world class players for sure. The problem with you Nigerian press is that you don't start your criticism from within. How many of you guys are Continental class journalists let alone World class? None. The press in other saner climes hype their talented players into stardom rather than magnify their weaknesses, David Beckham is a classic example. Play your role as a journalist, improve your reporting skills to class before casting a stone at the players
Your analysis is crude, we don't need world class players to shock the world and you soccernet.
I have always said that you don't have broad knowledge of the stories you are analysing here.
Remember football analysis is more of facts that guessing, unless you want to open a football betting company.
Victor Oshimen is not yet world class but ndidi is. Don't forget the kante you compare him with was criticized was sarri tried moving him forward but look at him now. Ndidi can walk into any team right now and will definitely improve. Casemero comes to might. He has improved massively.
Spot on analysis. I have always laughed at the comparison between Ndidi and Kante. Not on the same level. Kante actually goes forward to help the attack, Ndidi can barely shoot straight from distance. And he is playing for a mid level team, cause right now thats what they are. Oshimen is our best player, but he can't stay healthy, his focus is off, too much social media. He needs to commit to his football and get stronger. Just when he is about to shine, something always happens. He needs to talk to his village people.