Nigeria's Records At The World Cup: Fastest Goal, Youngest Player, Most Appearances

Allnigeriasoccer.com brings readers the sequel to our earlier publication on this series as we continue to look at the numbers the Super Eagles have posted in the course of their five appearances at the mundial.

5 — The number of wins the Super Eagles have garnered over European countries. That number of triumphs stands at five, having won Bulgaria and Greece (3-0 and 2-0 respectively) at the USA 1994 edition, pulling off the same trick over Bulgaria (1-0) and another win over Spain (3-2) at France '98 competition before getting their sole Brazil edition victory in a 1-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

7 — The number of goals scored in a single tournament by Nigeria. This feat was achieved at their maiden appearance in the 1994 edition when a then Clemens Westerhof-led Eagles netted a high seven times before exiting to Italy in the second round.

8 — The number of minutes it took Nigeria to score her fastest goal in the history of the World Cup. Ahmed Musa needed just four minutes to get on the score sheet against Argentina in the 2014 edition.

10 — The number of most appearances by a Super Eagle. This one represents the most appearances made by any Super Eagles player at the quadrennial showpiece history. Joseph Yobo boasts of this record with ten appearances in three editions of the World Cup, tasting victory just once though while drawing three and losing six times.

10 — The number of games Nigeria have lost. The Super Eagles had come out second best on ten occasions at the FIFA World Cup. Argentina has accounted for four of those losses while Italy, Paraguay, Denmark, Sweden, Greece and France have all tasted victory against the national team.

17 — The age of the youngest Eagle at the World Cup. At 17 years, three months and nine days, Femi Opabunmi is the youngest Super Eagles player to ever play at the World Cup, turning out against England in the 2002 edition.

He is equally the third youngest player at the World Cup after Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside (17years, one month and 10 days) at the  Spain '82 and Cameroonian forward Samuel Eto’o Fils (17years, three months and seven days) at France '98.

18 — The number of matches Nigeria has played. The Super Eagles have played eighteen times in the soccer fiesta since they made their debut against Bulgaria in 1994. That number equally remain the total number of points they have accrued altogether in the competition till date. South Americans, Brazil have collected the most points (216) by any country in the history of the tournament.

20 — The number of goals Nigeria has scored. The Super Eagles have dispatched a total number of 20 goals in the history of the competition, achieving that 20th milestone in the 2014 edition's 3-2 loss to Argentina. Ahmed Musa was the orchestrator, notching the feat-achieving goals on the day.

Emmanuel Chinaza