₦airaland Forum

mans114:
Nigeria’s top five rated players of all time

By Mansur Abubakar

Since the formation of Nigeria’s first national football team in 1949 which was coached by the famous Fulham star' John (Jack) Finch, the country has went on to produce some of the brightest players in the history of the game. From the Christian Chukwu inspired side that landed Eagles their first African Cup of Nations trophy in 1980 to the immensely talented ‘dream team’ which took the world by storm in 1994 (many also describe it as the best of all time).

All manner of stars have adorned the green and white before going on to achieve stardom, international recognition and trophies alike, these five players are the most highly rated as far as football in Nigeria is concerned.

5 Stephen Keshi- [/b]present coach of the senior national team who apart from guiding Eagles to their third AFCON title in South Africa two years ago also enjoyed a sterling playing career with both Nigeria and a host of clubs in Europe.

A no nonsense centre back who was occasionally drafted as a holding midfielder, Keshi got his debut at the age of 17 in 1989 and went on to captain the team to both the Tunisia 94 AFCON triumph and their first FIFA World Cup, gaining over 80 caps on the way.

His record with Belgian side Anderlecht is also admirable having being part of the team that clinched the league and cup double in 1993, today Coach Keshi is one of the most decorated and recognized ex Nigerian players.

[b]4 John Obi Mikel- came to limelight during the 2005 U17 World Cup in Holland where he almost eclipsed arguably the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi to the coveted Golden Ball due to his mesmerizing display at the tournament which made many rate him among the three most talented footballers in the world at the time.

Apart from being part of the 2013 AFCON winning side in Johannesburg, Mikel’s Eagles career can best be described as average but Chelsea FC of England is where the midfielder has really made his name, being part of the team that has won three EPL titles, four FA Cups, three League cups, UEFA Champions League and the Europa League.

All that meant this list would have been incomplete without including the former Lyn Oslo player who due to his talents was at the centre of a transfer tussle between Manchester United and Chelsea in 2006. Today he is no longer a first team player in the ‘Blues’ team but will go down as one of Nigeria’s biggest exports in football.

3 Rashidi Yekini- No one is yet to break his goal scoring record for Eagles having netted 46 times in 94 appearances. Was the focal point of Clement Westerhoff’s amazing team of 1994 where he scored vital screamers that helped landed the ‘Tunisia 94’ AFCON title.
Scored Nigeria’s first ever goal at a FIFA World Cup against Bulgaria in USA with his goal net celebration stuck in the minds of millions of football lovers till date.

In Europe, Yekini didn’t disappoint either, notching up goals wherever he went to from Boavista, Vitoria Setubal to swiss side Young Boys, the Kwara born star was able to achieve high international rating and stardom during his playing days, may God bless his soul.

2 Austin Jay Jay Okocha- He remains Nigeria’s most technically gifted player till date, he was able to do things no one could do with the ball. The great Pele once said of him “Okocha is the only African player that could walk straight into the Brazil national team” what a compliment from the legendary player.

Another player from the great 1994 team, starting his career with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga (one of his goals is rated among the top three in the history of the league) by 1998 Okocha was Africa’s most expensive player when he moved from Fenerbahce to Paris Saint Germain after the World Cup.

His stint with Bolton Wanderers is still fresh in the minds of football crazy EPL fans where he mesmerized English top flight with his abundant of skills. Bolton fans just like Nigerians rates him among their best of all time having helped them avoid the drop several times not forgetting guding them to the league cup.

Nwankwo Kanu- What haven’t been said about this player, this week a pub in South London which celebrates a legendary hero every week, wrote this about their ‘man of the week’.

“ inspired Nigeria to Olympic gold in 1996, overcame heart bypass surgery to win numerous trophies with Arsenal including being part of the invincibles of 2004 not forgetting FA Cup win for Pompey, all hail King Kanu “ they wrote on their board

Kanu was already an Eredivise and UEFA Champions league title winner with Ajax at the age of 17 before engineering the miracle of Atlanta 1996 despite being close to death at the time. His inability to lift the AFCON is the only blip in the career of Nigeria’s most highly rated and respected player.

vedd:
MUMUSSANCTUS! Jonathan and his SportsMinisters did absolutely nothing to honour the memory of late Samuel Okwaraji throughout their 6year reign of looting.

soe:
All those calling him a mere commissioner.....

let me educate you people..


this man, is a

Lecturer

Lawyer

Senior Advocate of Nigeria

Professor

Very Senior Pastor

Former Commissioner of Justice and Attorney general that stood up to Obasanjo and won from High Court to Supreme Court

Now...Vice-President....and first Yoruba VP in Nigeria.

If you look very well, you will discover that most of those calling this grand achiever a mere commissioner do not even have a future plan for themselves...let alone any hope of success in life.

Honour those above you, that you may be lifted up.

barcanista:
So he is going to seek for external coorperation? The same Buhari that criticised Jonathan for doing same? What a clownish old corrupt general.

ZeezaRapture:
Am i the only one thinking Prof. Osinbajo should barb his hair?

stronger:
I can't wait for post May 29th when it will be fully revealed that the so called subsidy NEVER EXISTED (at least not as much as they say)

Just a scheme by GEJ, PDP and their cronies to steal our commonwealth. Let's be patient. . it will be reve aled!

kennynelcon:
A Day of reckoning will come when we will remember both the Sabotages (ndi ofe nmanu) and its leaders(ndi ugwu). Boko haram n MENDS menace will be nothing compared to Ours.
I believe.
It will start with us .
This negligence must stop.

What would violence and militancy benefit you and your ilks. There can not be any progress when there is no peace. And by the way, the gentleman was spot on about lack of a leader figure amongst u, he never mentioned or attacked any tribe for whatever is going on to your pple, so Why preach violence against other people.

ERIWA...

PAINGAIN:
We didn't support buhari just like we will not support any northern candidate in d future. Despite d yorubas hating d igbos, igbos will always choose/vote for yoruba man over an hausa man. And pls,these people(ohaneze) must stop telling these people in power to do this,do that for d igbos cus we all know they are not going to do anything for d igbos but guess what, igbos no send them. Whether they do or no do, the igbo people will continue BALLING!

chymystique:
[font=serif]I really pity fayose.. He should take his problems to God through prayers he can save him.. fayose ve faith and dnt give up yet!
[/fonvt]

theV0ice:
have you by any chance come accross the impeachment notice?? here they are below

In the letter by the 19 lawmakers titled, “Re: Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct,” sent to Fayose, the APC lawmakers listed eight impeachable offences against the governor. These offences bordered on impunity, brigandage, stalking and other constitutional breaches.

These included alleged invasion of the House of Assembly with thugs and miscreants, instigating an unconstitutional takeover of the House by seven legislators to sit in contravention of Section 96(2) of the 1999 Constitution, and prevention of the 19 APC legislators from performing their duties with the use of security agents and armed thugs.

Other allegations listed in the notice are: sponsoring an unlawful impeachment process in the house, spending Ekiti State funds without the requisite constitutional approval in contravention of the constitution and running the government without legally constituted Executive Council in contravention of Section 192(2) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

They also accused the governor of operating an illegal 2014 budget as well as sponsoring and instigating illegal sitting of the House in contravention of Section 96(1) of the Constitution.

mention what you have against each of those points?

If Fayose isn't guilty, then let him reply the notice and disprove all they said.

Is that too difficult?

Also, you understand nothing about democratic processes if you compare canvassing votes for Ambode with interfering with the legitimate legislative duties of elected lawmakers

CR77:
This is the change APC promise nigeria to impeach PDP governor

If they did not take time the wind of change can also blow GMB away if him didn't do well

tropaz:
anybody agains apc must go down? is it actually apc or millitary regim?

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Taylor86:
no going back abi?



I pity the first person wey go dey front for the impeachment Waka



d unlucky first impeatcher should RIP In advance

Bolade005:
Mr Ebele is not a hero to me, the real HERO is the man who never gave up his dream, the man who kept trying, the man who never stopped believing. General Muhammadu Buhari is the hero not Ebele.

Talking of heroes, the Late Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh over Ebele.

PenSniper:
barcanista, et tu brute ?
You seem to have lost focus lately. The block votes from SE/SS isn't ethnic, yes? Jonathan
made himself lose the election from ALL indications. He and his wife desecrated the office of president of this great nation. He extolled debauchery and indulged his wife too much. He upgraded the office of 'first lady' which is unconstitutional to the level of chicanery. He acted like a man without his own mind. He fiddled unconcerned while the nation burnt. He was Nigeria's modern Nero. He made unguarded statements about corruption unbecoming of a serious-minded leader. He is a PhD holder with the intelligence of a secondary school pupil. No sane and proud people would want to be identified with such a setup. Tolerating him for the last four years was as much as they they could do. He kept going from church to church as if he was seeking the votes of christians only, yet he was looking the other way while these christians were being maimed for years. He has no plausible explanation for failing to do for years what he did to Boko Haram in the last 6 weeks. When the Yoruba people voted over-whelmingly for him in 2011 inspite of Tinubu, it wasn't ethnic. Some people really need their heads examined, dont they ? Well let it be said loud and clear that the yoruba are not afraid of anything any bunch of nitrates might be planning against us. We are mindful of the fact that we have enemies within and without.
In elections, the yoruba think and act astutely
as it is done in enlightened societies that we like to celebrate and we have no apologies to offer to anybody for that.

Greg2015:
Is better you and seat down so Yoruba should be crying ? Idiot
Rebelist Nigerian Army go show you pepper.......

unstableaswater:
IT IS TIME TO BACK WORDS WITH ACTION.


YORUBA ARE U READY FOR THIS PART...


HERE IT COMES.


Now, this is a threat that should be taken seriously unlike shecow. This people can turn off all oil supply. Will u ride Buhari to work? No! Will the transporters use Buhari to transport ur food to the markets? No! Prices will go up(inflation) and poverty will increase.

America dont buy Nigeria oil anymore but from the middle east becos they know wat will happen in 2015. I hope the SW and North will start importing oil from middle east too.
Pls sir, what exactly do you want in your own country? A country Where there is justice and equity where the collective wealth of a country is used judiciously for the Betterment of all or a country where a man under the guise of the being a minority rules and the collective wealth of the country is being squandered by a few and yet claim claiming they are representing the interest of all.

saasala:
Bleep you, I just quoted you and I am not dead and will not die...If anyone would die, its you...And die you shall.

yorke1:
Buhari should start thinking of means to finance the affairs of Nigeria through rearing of cattle and the rest. He should not think we are going to allow him come closer to the oil in Niger Delta.

It is time to go back to the creek!

golddust6000:
Can you allow an illiterate to handle your business ?

OLADD:
Everything was schemingly perfected for Jonathan to loose if the election had taken place on February 14. But against expections of the janja.weeds, the "clueless one" and his team got wind of their masterplan, hit Buhari and Tinubu below the belt and threw confusion in their camp. Unfortunately for APC and their INEC accomplices, they forgot to make provision for plan B. Nigerians can now know who's clueless between Lai Mohammed's APC and Jonathan's PDP. That postponement was a political tsunami which will hunt Buhari and Tinubu for the rest of their lives. GEJ TILL 2019.

SeverusSnape:
How could election go on when close to half of the electorates had not collected their PvCs?... INEC was obviously not ready for the election, Imagine a situation whereby maiduguri a war zone has percentage of PVC collection more than most southern States. Yes, the guy is right to some extent, If the election had gone ahead, the chances of Jonathan losing was very high.

slymichael:
God bless Ffk for revealing dis important information to Nigeria dat love d future of dis country. Pls vote Goodluck for good democracy.

cashpaulo:
"having dark tar babies"? HELLO!!! u bleached ur skin......not ur genes! omo make sure say u don buy baby bleaching creavm keep o!!!