₦airaland Forum

By many, you mean Englishmen ?

Mujtahida:
I just watched a replay clip of Argentina Vs England 86 game.

Many people hate Maradonna for that 'hand of God' goal.

😀😀😀 That's quite a cheeky move. I like it. I was just laughing as I watched it.

My final four prediction
France should win
Argentina places fourth.

Congratulations nwabali, there's nothing wroñg in going back if the way forward wasn't guaranteed. Wish you all the best.

Papi85:
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚‼️

Nigerian international goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is on the verge of re-signing with Chippa United.

Story by Sinethemba Makonco (@Makonco_M).✍️

I feel this was what really let them down. Because they know France has twice the firepower of USA to deal withthem if they tried playing an open game

Odunayaw:
Paraguay seems to have been traumatized by the attacking football of the US

They are playing Egypt. Egypt is rather the team in unfamiliar territory. Like Algeria, like Egypt. Argentina is gonna maul them in 90 minutes.

Lawag3:
Argentina are not winning their next match not after this this extra time will have a toll on them

All fairytale must come to an end. This is sadly the end of the journey for Cape Verde. This will inspire them .

Tone!
tone!!
tone!!!
Watch your tone!

TheSuperNerd:
It is the typical responses of try-hards like you to run into crying narratives after your nonsensical points to belittle Nigeria's WC history have been knocked down so comprehensively with holistic facts. Crawl back into your hole abeg.

Yeah. Stoickhov golden boot winner.

AndSunGorilla:
Which Cinderella story? Bulgaria that prevented the France with Cantona and co from going to the world cup. They had at least one of the best players in the world in Stoickhov at that time.

I think you should rather rest. Cos you've successfully conflated and twisted the whole thing to create perfect narrative for u. Typical you.

TheSuperNerd:
Bulgaria had one of the most charismatic and most talented European footballers of his generation in Hristo Stoichkov of Barcelona and a fine bunch of other ballers in Letchkov and Balakov. It was their Golden Generation. The best they had ever assembled and it was their 6th WC appearance.

And They did not disappear after US 1994. They returned in France 1998.

So kindly rest again your failed attempt at belittling what the Nigerian 1994 set did or what an African debutant like Cape Verde has achieved for themselves coz you are clearly forcing it.

Facts are facts. Keep it holistic and not narrowed like your forced watered-down views.

Exactly, Morocco did it in Qatar 22, should Morocco now meet France in the quarter finals of this world cup and defeat them, thats gonna be a STRONG STATEMENT in football. That seals the every adjective to describe Morocco as Africa's greatest world cup team.

Papi85:
you forgot to mention Denmark in Euro 92. A team that failed to qualify for the competition but were called to fill in a gap left by one of the qualified nations that withdrew and ended up winning the competition

You need to understand what we call Cinderella stories of football. The Bulgaria side of 94' was an example of that. Beating Bulgaria in our opening game was the turning point for Bulgarian football history who up until then have never won a world cup match having participated four (not exactly sure) times before . What they had was a Cinderella story that saw them beat Greece and shocked the world beating Argentina in the final group game. That run saw them reach the semi finals. I'm sure you know there are a host óf teams that have pulled out this sort of stories in football only to disappear after such feat. Greece in Euro 2004, Checzolvakia in Euro 96, Costarica in WC 14', etc. This I believe is more akin to Cape Verde. So nothing extraordinary in Bulgaria of 94 . Again this is no false impression or narratives . This is whole substance. Gracias.

TheSuperNerd:
Well, Cape Verde have done well for themselves. They have 3 draws and 2 of those came against former World Champions in Spain and Uruguay. Are you going to water that down too??

This is not false impression but just simple facts. If you were being completely honest with the stats, you wont put down Iceland and raise France as a comparison when there was literally a powerful Bulgarian team in 1994 that Nigeria did it against.

The false impression here is you slyly not being holistic with the facts. Finito.

you should know when certain stats are built to create a false impression. "3" is enough based on the number of times we have qualífied to describe us 2 goal lead monster. 3 is enough to describe Cape Verde as an undefeatable monster team in the world cup based the number of times theyve appeared in the world cup, up to this moment before their game against Argentina. When you play enough games at the world cup, you are bound to squander a 2 goal lead like Argentina at some point. You are bound to lose at the Maracana stadium by 7-1 in a semifinal match. You are bound to lose to a debutant like Senegal as a defending champion. And this is all football.

For now you are still crawling between making appearances and advancing group stages.

Maybe you'd say we are not Senegal, but the point is, Senegal shouldn't be our yardstick. Argentina, Brazil and France should be our yardstick for success.

TheSuperNerd:
You thought you were making a point only for this @emboldened to totally slap it away. So 3 times is not enough time to show we have that trait at the World Cup, especially considering how many times we have been there.

You mention Iceland as if they were not an interesting problem back then in Europe but slyly left out Bulgaria in 1994 that reached the WC semifinals.

Next please.

What's special about giving up a 2 goal lead in a game of 90 minutes. Whether in world cup or any where , it can happen to any team. How many times has Nigeria enjoyed a two goal lead in her world cup history. Its only 3 times we did that. Argentina at the last world cup finals lost a two goal lead ,only to win on penalties.
Iceland being the last team under rohr in 2018. Where we won by 2 nil. Iceland is not in the quality and pedigree of a french side.

Bro, 🤣 😂. The pain can be indescribable. 2021 AFCON . Tunisia 1 vs 0 Nigeria. After winning all our group stage games. Eguavone voted best coach in the group stage. Then we lost to a covid ravaged Tunisian side that finished as 3rd best team in the first knockout game of the competition. That pain I felt 😂😂

JohnBullMySon:
There's this special kind of pain that comes when you're the first to be elimnated in the knockouts

Almost feels like you left in the group stages

Im betting on SA,
Senegal ( hopefully they have found the resurgence)
CIV
Egypt to qualify to the next round.

Algeria, DRC ,Cabo Verde, Morocco and Ghana will wave good-bye

TheSuperNerd:
Confirmed Round of 32 Fixtures (Updated)...

Germany v Paraguay

France v Sweden

SA v Canada

Netherlands v Morocco

USA v Bosnia-Herzegovina

Brazil v Japan

CIV v Norway

Mexico v Ecuador

Argentina v Cape Verde

Australia v Egypt

I think it's time we embrace this truth, that DRC has a strong squad.
Well, they equally held Portugal to a 1all draw. I'm sure the Portuguese would be asking how did they play out a draw with DRC. DRC lost by a lone goal to Columbia, that was my first time I watched DRC clearly get dominated.

olavoice:
How did this DRC team deny us from qualifying for the World Cup.

Happy birthday brother. Have a wonderful birthday experience

BankyGee:
+1 today! 🎉

Grateful for life, growth, lessons, laughter, and every opportunity along the way. Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey.

Here's to bigger wins, good health, and unforgettable moments ahead. ❤️

When you make statements like this , pls try to give us instances that validates your opinions.

Meliforme:
Good coaching has for the most parts been a problem for the Super Eagles. That is the reason why a lot of us celebrate Eric Chelle whose modern approach is a step ahead of what we are used to in the Super Eagles.

Eric Chelle has a lot to learn, because from what i have seen so far in the matches that he has overseen we may not get the best of the quality we own. I say this from a technical and tactical standpoint as a very sound analyst.

Aside techniques and tactics, Eric Chelle's player management especially during matches is mediocre. He overworks some players without an indepth study of these players in order to clearly understand what these players can take at the time. A lot of factors can affect a player's stamina,

if Eric Chelle does not improve and we cannot afford a more sound coach then just like what you are trying to imply we should not expect much from the Super Eagles.

This is hard 💯🔥 and quite emotional

🚨🤍 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Yan Diomande emotional letter to his late sister:

"Dear Roxane,

Remember when somebody bought me a fake United jersey, and I wrote Ronaldo 7 on the back with the black marker?"

"We didn’t know rich or poor. We just knew happiness."

"Remember 25 people sleeping in one house back in Abidjan? Mum wanted to watch her soap operas. Everyone else wanted to watch movies. Remember how I always used to fake like I was asleep and then go into the TV room after midnight? I’d put the TV on real low. Just like 2 volume bars. I’d watch football in the dark and dream."

"Remember when the adults saw me playing football in the dirt and nicknamed me “Roberto Carlos” because of how hard I would shoot? And remember how I was secretly so mad about it, because CR7 was my idol?"

"Remember when I went to play so far from home? I was 9 years old. Inter Foot Sud Comoé, all the way near the Ghana border. Just a little boy on his own. I don’t know if I ever told you this story, but me and the other kids used to go into the village and steal potatoes because we were so hungry. We did a “bank heist.” Two kids distracting the shop owner, and 18 other kids running out with two potatoes. They weren’t even good. But they tasted amazing. Hahahah. It’s still my favorite thing to eat. Boiled potatoes with some oil. It reminds me of those times."

"Remember when I got my first real football boots, and I used to sleep with them? Growing up, I always played in those white plastic sandals. Even when I go back home now, I still play in them. It’s our tradition."

"Remember when I would come back home, and you would tell my friends from the neighborhood, “Why did you stop training? Yan is not going to buy you cars. You have to keep working."

"You were 10 years old, and already my agent."

"Remember how we used to sit and dream about moving to France? How we were going to go shopping and get our own apartment and I was going to be a rich footballer with cars and a big house, and you wouldn’t have to worry about nothing. You were the one who always believed that I could be the next Cristiano, when everybody else laughed."

"Remember when I moved to America for high school at 15, and I was so homesick? I didn’t know what anybody was saying for months. They sat me next to a French kid, and he tried to translate everything the teacher was saying. Remember when I called you, saying, “You won’t believe it, the kids here argue with teachers."

"Back home, you know we wouldn’t even dare to blink at our elders."

"Remember when I couldn’t believe the kids were smoking after school? You used to say it sounded like I was in an American TV show."

"Remember when they took me on trial at Bournemouth? At Chelsea, Rangers, Olympiacos, Crystal Palace? Eze and Olise even came up to me after one training and said, “Yo kid, you’re really good.”"

"But they still didn’t sign me."

"Even the B teams in the MLS didn’t want me. I didn’t even know why. They never gave me a reason. The adults handled everything. They just kept taking me all around Europe, and everybody kept saying no."

"My visa was up. My dream was over. They sent me back to Africa, and we cried together."

"You were the one who never stopped believing. A few weeks later, I signed for Leganés and we cried different tears."

"That was back when I used to have emotions. Now, I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m not even human. Since you died, I’m just blank."

"I don’t even think I shed a tear the day they told me that you were gone. I was just in shock."

"It was a few weeks after I made my debut for Leganés. Who makes their debut at 18 against Real Madrid? It was too crazy. It was a dream."

"And then it was a nightmare. Someone kept calling me from back home. I was annoyed. I didn’t understand why they kept calling me."

"I picked up, and they didn’t even soften it. You know how it is back home. No emotions. Just……..

“Your sister is gone.”
“What?”
“She died.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Somebody put something in her drink at a party, and she never woke up. She is gone.”

"You were 15."

"15."

"I never got any answers. I don’t know if I want to know why. Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it’s just something that happens in our country. Maybe I could have protected you. I don’t know."

"I try to trust God’s plan. It’s all I can do. I don’t try to forget, because I know I won’t forget. All I can do is use the pain to work harder, and to do everything we dreamed about."

"I wrote this because I can’t speak about it. I wrote this because I want you to know that I will make sure that you live on. I will make sure that everybody knows your name. The whole world."

"Everything I do on a football pitch, it’s for you."

"So much has happened since I last saw you…… You would not even believe it. I don’t know if I believe it."

"You know what’s crazy? After my debut against Madrid, I actually swapped shirts with Mbappé. Remember when we used to watch him on TV, and you’d say, “Mbappé? Yeah, he’s good. But my brother is better.”

"I was wrong about one thing. I don’t want to be rich. I see what it does to people, even to family. When I was at Leganés, everything I was earning, I was sending home. It got to the point where I didn’t even want money anymore. It was just a burden. They never stopped asking. I guess they thought I was a millionaire already. I didn’t even have an apartment. I was living at the training ground in a room with no TV. Just football and sleep, football and sleep."

"I didn’t want a big house. I didn’t want cars. I just wanted to put everything into football. Everything to show the world that my sister was right……."

"Ha…. you will think this is funny. When I moved to play at RB Leipzig, I was always late. Well, not late. But I was on time, which in Germany means you’re very late."

"So you already know what I did next. I started arriving 90 minutes early to everything. I was so early all the time that the guys started calling me “The German.”"

"I always have to overdo everything. I have zero chill. You always said that."

"The pitch is the only place that I feel at home anymore. It’s the place where I feel calm, and I can speak to you. I just wish you were still here so I could tell you….. We did it."

"Everything you said came true."

"We’re leaving for the World Cup tomorrow. For real. Your brother is going to play for Côte d'Ivoire, like Drogba, like Yaya, like Gervinho."

"I don’t even look at it like a game. I look at it like a stage. This is my chance to show the whole world what you saw in me. Every time I score, I’ll make sure everybody knows your name. I’ll make sure they don’t forget you."

"You always said that I could be better than Cristiano. If I see him there, I’ll tell him hello for you."

"I’m going to do what you predicted, I swear. Before I even had real boots, you were telling everybody, “My brother is going to be the greatest in the world.”

"I will prove that you were right, or I will die trying... Your brother, Yan."

— @PlayersTribune

Relax man. You are talking of a Messi, how many Messis' do we have. Those are outlier

Goke7:
I think we push out our very best out of the national team too early especially when they mess up in a particular game.

From what am seeing from many nations in the World Cup, I think we should keep players like Iwobi, Lookman, Ndidi, Oshimen for as long as their legs continue to carry them. In fact if iheanacho can be sneaked in again I don’t mind, does it hinder new younger players? I don’t think so as you need so much of experience in tournaments. If they are even on the bench fine.

For the argeis , I think quarter finals is gonna be their best

Sugarboyy:
You don't know this Argentina squad. They played Algeria like they were training for when the WC will really commence. In the last WC they lost their opening game to Saudi Arabia don't forget. They still have demons Martinez, Romero, Otamendi and De Paul that are always ready to fight to the last minute when this WC progresses and Enzo Fernandez, Alvarez and Mac Allister have come of age, and not forgetting the ever present goal keeper

Semis wouldnt be bad

Mujtahida:
They are crashing out. Wait and see

The boys look young enough to the eyes to easily pass MRI test. But they need to feed them to bulk up and develop more muscles.

SolaFide:
Nigeria's U17 team camp is bubbling with young, talented players.

The opening games of big teams define their character. Argentina lost its opening game against Saudi Arabia at the last world cup yet went on to win the tournament. Spain lost its opening game in 2010 to Switzerland and still won the tournament. We càn go on and on in history to see this pattern. If there is one side that is capable of adjusting itself and reinventing itself, it's easily the Spanish team with it's given quality.

Mujtahida:
You can only play the opponent that is in front of you. Spain no sabi play ball. All that sleek and endless passing is not football jare

If they played 9 out of 10 times , Spain will win. That one time Spain wouldn't win is what we call luck. Will u dare stick your neck out tomorrow for Cape Verde to get a draw again, now that the Spanish side recognizes their opponent better? I bet you'd almost not.

realpoacher:
I repeat, it's not luck.

Luck has always been a part of any football match, it doesn't matter whether you win 7-0 or you drew. Its a constant k... So it doesn't count.


Also in football, you can always create your own luck, it's what we know too. And when you do, its no longer called luck..... It will be called Strategy.



Cape Verde created their own luck for this draw...

Give them their flowers and stop calling it "Luck"

And how many did Chile concede against them ?

WarHammer2000:
It's actually the highest test if you ask me. Portugal is a strong contender for the WC trophy. They've got Mendes, Vitinha, Neves, all current Champions League winners. Plus other elite talent in all departments. And they started their best against us.

Any other African country would have conceded more than 2 without scoring any. In fact, only few European countries can survive this current Portugal.

We shouldn't be fooled by the score line. We were the luckier team. And it was a deserved victory for the Portuguese...

He actually knows and mentioned our 4 biggest players. Osimhén , lookman, Bassey and Iwobi

TheSuperNerd:
Portugal Coach, Roberto Martinez speaks in yesterday's Press conference ahead of the Nigeria game today...

🚨 🗣️ “I love the way Nigeria played against Poland and I love the ideas of the coach…”

— 🇵🇹 Portugal coach Roberto Martinez ahead of tonight’s game. pic.twitter.com/0r3KqopbiR

— GNB OFFICIAL (@GHNaijaBallers) June 10, 2026

Lol. We've lost two prodigies who were accused of rape by their Scandinavian women . Their playing career have suffered significant damage. Toro- kobo way dem suppose dey send to family for Nigeria , dem dey use am pay lawyers

Goke7:
Make Una nice small na 😂

With the way he is sounding innocent and excited, he should be focused and careful about their women. He should wisen up . If kasala burst, white man no dey understand kinikan kinikan

[quote author=BankyGee post=139658981]😂😂😂

😅🇳🇬🇸🇪 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 Sodiq Lawal signed for Kalmar FF in Sweden from Nigeria and gave his first interview. As you listen may you be blessed!

“Kinikan kinikan” 😂
If e reach your turn no represent your tribe for Europe! 😂 pic.twitter.com/fxdgljLTp6

— Banky G 🎤⚽ (@BankyGee_) April 23, 2026

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