There were mixed feelings among football pundits in the country and in the Diaspora after Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, released his list of 23-man squad that will fly Nigeria’s flag at the 2014 FIFA World Cup billed for Brazil from June 12 to July 13.
While some were on the same page with him on the list, others felt that some of the players dropped should have been included in the list. But can the players picked for the Mundial really make the country proud in Brazil?
Meanwhile, meet the 23-man killer squad
Goalkeepers
Vincent Enyeama: The former Enyimba International FC of Aba goal-tender will be attending his third World Cup for Nigeria. He was selected for the 2002 World Cup as a cover for Ike Shorunmu, and was in post for the team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. At 1.82m height and 87kg weight, he is the first choice keeper of French Ligue 1 side, LOSC Lille, and will be 32 on August 29.
Austin Ejide: Like Enyeama, Ejide will be attending his third World Cup for Nigeria. He was named in Nigeria’s squad for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He has been a member of the team since the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), mostly as second-choice keeper after Enyeama. With height 1.90m and weight 90kg, he currently plays for Israeli Premier side, Hapoel Beer Sheva, and was 30 years on April 8.
Chigozie Agbim: One of the three home-based players picked for Brazil, Agbim plays for Gombe United in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL). He made his international debut for Nigeria in a friendly tie against Angola in January 2012. He was called up to Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and was selected for the 2013 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. His height is 1.87m and weight is 83kg. He will be 30 years on November 28.
Defenders
Joseph Yobo: Yobo will play in his third FIFA World Cup finals and has the chance to become Nigeria’s first player to hit 100 caps. He currently plays as a centre back for Fenerbahce of Turkey. His Height is 1.88m and his weight is 87kg. He will be 34 on September 6.
Elderson Echiejile: He was a member of the Nigerian Under-20 team at the 2007 World Cup in Canada, playing five matches and scoring once. He made his debut for the Super Eagles in 2009. Height is 1.89m and weight is 76kg. Currently with AS Monaco of France as a left defender, he was 26 years on January 20.
Juwon Oshaniwa: Oshaniwa plays as a left back for Israeli Premier League club, F.C. Ashdod. He made his international debut for Nigeria in 2012, and appeared in many FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Height is 1.84m and weight 69kg. He will be 24 years on September 14.
Godfrey Oboabona: Oboabona began his professional career with Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure in the NPFL. He made his international debut for the Super Eagles in 2012, and played FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Height is 1.86m and weight is 85kg. He will be 24 on August 16.
Azubuike Egwuekwe: He is the second home-based player in the squad for Brazil 2014. He played for Nasarawa United and Yerima Strikers in the Nigerian league before he signed to play for Warri Wolves FC as a defender. He made his international debut for Nigeria in 2012. His height is 1.79m and weight is 91kg. He will be 25 years on July 16.
Kenneth Omeruo: Currently playing as a centre back for Chelsea FC, Omeruo played for the Nigerian Under-20 team that reached the quarter-finals at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. On January 9, 2013, at the age of 19, he played for the Super Eagles for the first time in a goalless draw against Cape Verde. Height is 1.85m and weight is 81kg. He will be 21 on October 17.
Efe Ambrose: The member of the Nigerian team at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada was a member of Nigeria’s 23-man AFCON squad for South Africa last year, where he played five out of six games for Nigeria, in the right back position, including the final which he started. Height is 1.90m and weight is 70kg. He will be 26 on October 18.
Kunle Odunlami: The third home-based player in the team, Odunlami plays as a defender for Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure in the NPFL. In January 2014, Keshi invited him to be part of the senior national team for the 2014 CHAN team, where he started every game and made the tournament’s Best XI, as the team placed third. Height is 1.84m and weight is 75kg. He was 24 on March 5.
Midfielders
John Mikel Obi: Mikel of Chelsea will be making his first FIFA World Cup finals for Nigeria after narrowly missing Germany 2006, and was omitted from South Africa 2010 due to injury. He made his debut for the Super Eagles on August 17, 2005, when he came on as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 win over Libya in a friendly. Height is 1.88m and weight is 70kg. He was 27 on April 22.
Ogenyi Onazi: He plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club, Lazio. He made his debut for the Super Eagles in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia at Calabaron on October 13, 2012. His first goal came in his second international match – Nigeria’s 3-1 trouncing of Venezuela in a friendly in Florida on November 15, 2012. Height is 1.73m and weight is 73kg. He will be 22 on December 25.
Ramon Azeez: On February 3, 2014, he was called up to the Super Eagles for a friendly against Mexico. Azeez, who made his debut on March 5, 2014, playing the entire second-half in a barren draw at Georgia Dome, currently plays for UD Almeria FC in Spain, as a central midfielder. With height at 1.69m and his weight 70kg, he will be 22 on December 12.
Michael Uchebo: Uchebo plays as a striker for Belgian pro League club, Cercle Brugge. He received his first call-up to the Super Eagles in February 2014, earning his first Super Eagles cap on March 6, 2014 in the barren draw with Mexico in a friendly match, playing the first half before being replaced by Leon Balogun. Height is 1.94m and weight is 86kg. He turned 24 on February 2.
Reuben Gabriel: The defensive midfielder for Belgian side, Waasland-Beveren, made his debut for Nigeria on March 3, 2010, in a 5–2 win against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in a friendly match. He scored his first international goal on June 9, 2012, netting the opener in an eventual 1–1 away draw against Malawi for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Standing at 1.95m and weighing 86kg, he will turn 24 on September 25.
Forwards
Osaze Odemwingie: He strikes for Premier League club, Stoke City. The Edo State-born half-caste chose to represent Nigeria where his father was born. In his first match with the Super Eagles, he came as a substitute in a 3–0 victory over Kenya on May 4, 2002.
He captained the team for the 2010 Cup of Nations, and when Nigeria bowed out of the competition at the semi-final stage, he openly criticised Coach Shaibu Amodu’s tactics, blaming him for the defeat.
Ahmed Musa: The CSKA Moscow of Russian forward, was, in April 2010, under Coach Lars Lagerback, called up to join the Super Eagles camp prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, after helping the Nigerian team win in the 2010 WAFU Nations Cup where he scored a goal against Benin Republic. His height is 1.70m and his weight is 62kg. He will turn 22 on October 14.
Shola Ameobi: Born in Nigeria, but raised in England, Ameobi was capped by the England Under-21 team. The striker made his debut for Nigeria on November 14, 2012, and scored his first international goal for Nigeria on September 10, 2013 against Burkina Faso in a friendly in Kaduna. In November 2013, he scored his second goal against Italy, in a friendly at Craven Cottage.
Emmanuel Emenike: He plays for Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super Lig as a striker. On January 21, 2013, he scored in Nigeria’s opening AFCON match against Burkina Faso in a 1–1 draw. He also scored the first goal in the quarter-final match between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire in which Nigeria won 2–1.
Michael Babatunde: The forward, who plays for Volyn Lutsk in the Ukrainian Premier League, started his career with Water Football Club of Abuja. He was selected for Nigeria’s squad at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. His Height is 1.79m and his weight is 72kg. He will be 22 on December 24.
Victor Moses: The Chelsea FC player was selected to play for Nigeria against Guatemala in February 2011, but the friendly was cancelled. He accepted a call-up in March 2011 for Nigeria’s games against Ethiopia and Kenya. However, he was ruled out of those games because his application to FIFA to switch nationality was not received in time. It was announced on November 1, 2011, that FIFA had cleared Moses to play for Nigeria. He was called up to Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the 2013 AFCON, scoring two penalties in the team’s final group stage game against Ethiopia, which Nigeria needed to win to go through.
Uche Nwofor: Currently striking for VVV Venlo in the Dutch Eredivisie, Nwofor earned his first full international cap for the Super Eagles on March 3, 2010 in a friendly game against the DR Congo national team.
In the first of Nigeria’s World Cup warm up matches of 2014, he scored a last-minute equaliser to spare Nigeria’s blushes against Scotland. Height 1.84m, weight 75kg. He will be 23 on September 17.
