The maiden edition of the FIFA World Cup, an international association football competition among the senior men’s national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) held in 1930 but Nigeria’s Super Eagles did not qualify for the tournament until the year 1994 in the United States of America (USA).

Since then, the Super Eagles have featured on five more occasions at the FIFA World Cup, totaling six times, having failed to qualify for Germany 2006, Qatar 2022 and USA, Canada and Mexico 2026. The Guardian’s Oluyemi Ogunseyin, hereby, reviews how the Super Eagles have fared at the FIFA World Cup.

USA 94

Drawn in Group D alongside the trio of Argentina, Greece and Bulgaria, Nigeria made its first World Cup appearance in 1994 in the U.S. With the combined efforts and raw talents of the Clemens Westerhof-led team with outstanding players such as Peter Rufai, Augustine Eguavon, Ben Iroha, Stephen Keshi, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, Samson Siasia, Finidi George, Victor Ikpeba, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi and Rasheed Yekini, the Super Eagles shone like a million stars from their very first group game.

Arriving the US with their cheerleaders, the Nigerian Football Supporters Club and their fascinating ambience, religious books, cheer songs, drums and trumpets, the world was in for an entertaining surprise. With well-delivered passes, their play was fluid like a well-orchestrated symphony, even as the Super Eagles thrashed a Hristo Stoichkov-led Bulgaria 3-0 to start the tournament like a house on fire.

In the 21st minute, the late Yekini (assisted by Finidi George) scored the country’s first ever World Cup goal. The Super Eagles made it 2-0 in the 43rd minute courtesy of a simple tap-in by Daniel Amokachi (assisted by Yekini), while on 55 minutes, Emmanuel Amuneke’s header (assisted by Finidi) put an end to the aspirations of the Bulgarian team.

Nigeria lost 2-1 to Argentina in their second group match, with the theatrics of the late Diego Armando Maradona playing a major role in the outcome. Samson Siasia gave Nigeria an early lead in the eight minute, but Claudio Caniggia scored twice to secure the win for Argentina.

The match is historically significant as it was the final international game for legendary Argentina captain Maradona, who failed a drug test for ephedrine following the fixture and was subsequently suspended.

Despite the loss, Nigeria went on to top Group D on goal difference after defeating Greece 2-0 courtesy of goals from Finidi and Amokachi, while Argentina qualified for the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams.

Nigeria, as it happened, got rewarded for topping the group with a round of 16 clash against eventual finalists, Italy. Amuneke gave the Super Eagles the lead, only for Roberto Baggio to bag a late equaliser, before notching an extra-time winner to break Nigerian hearts.

The Super Eagles were thereafter adjudged the most entertaining team of USA 94 and ranked fifth by FIFA, the highest ever by any African football team.

France 98

Nigeria returned to the World Cup in 1998 hosted by France with the Super Eagles matching their performance in 1994 by reaching the round of 16 where they also exited the tournament.

Attending their second consecutive World Cup, optimism was high due to manager Bora Milutinović and the return of most of the 1994 squad members.

In the final tournament, Nigeria was drawn in group D with Spain, Bulgaria and Paraguay. The Super created a major upset by defeating Spain 3–2 after coming back twice from 1–0 and 2–1 down, with Oliseh scoring one of the best World Cup goals.

The Eagles qualified for the second round with a 1-0 win against Bulgaria despite suffering a 3-1 loss to Paraguay. The team’s hopes of surpassing its 1994 performance were, however, shattered following a 4–1 mauling in the hands of Denmark. Meanwhile, this is currently the only World Cup that Nigeria qualified for without playing Argentina in the tournament finals.

Japan/Korea 2002

The 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan saw Nigeria again qualify with optimism. With a new squad and distinctive pastel green kits, the Super Eagles were expected to build on its strong performances in the 2000 and 2002 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

This time around at the 2002 World Cup in Asia, Nigeria was drawn in group F with powerhouses Sweden, Argentina, and England. The first game against Argentina started with a strong defence that kept the first half scoreless. In the 61st minute, Gabriel Batistuta breached the Nigerian defence to put Argentina ahead and the South Americans would go on to win the game 1-0.

Nigeria’s second game against Sweden saw them take the lead courtesy of a wonderful goal by Julius Aghahowa but the Super Eagles eventually lost 2–1. Nigeria then drew 0–0 with England and bowed out in the first round.

South Africa 2010

After failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the Super Eagles returned in 2010. On 14 November 2009, Nigeria qualified for the mundial after defeating Kenya by 3–2 in Nairobi.

Nigeria, however, lost its opening match against Argentina 1–0 at Ellis Park Stadium following a controversial Gabriel Heinze header in the sixth minute. In its second game, Nigeria led early on by a goal from Kalu Uche. A red card against Sani Kaita gave Greece the advantage.

Greece scored the equaliser late in the first half and Nigeria conceded the second goal in the second half with the Super Eagles eventually losing the game 2–1.

In their last group stage match against South Korea, Nigeria took an early lead in the 12th minute off of a great finish by Uche after a low cross from Chidi Odiah. However, goals from Lee Jung-Soo and Park Chu-Young gave South Korea a 2–1 lead, which looked to be enough for South Korea to advance into the round of 16.

However, Nigeria got a chance in the 66th minute, on the end of a pass from
Yusuf Ayila that was fed through the South Korean defense was none other than Yakubu Aiyegbeni. The pass found Aiyegbeni’s foot about four yards away from the empty goal but the striker shockingly pushed the ball wide of the left post to leave South Korea still ahead 2–1. Three minutes later, Yakubu was able to calmly finish a penalty to tie the score at two apiece, but Nigeria was unable to score again and the match ended in a 2–2 draw.

With this result, Nigeria was eliminated from the 2010 World Cup with just one point, while South Korea advanced into the round of 16 with four points. On 30 June 2010, following the team’s early exit and poor showing, the then President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan suspended the national football team from international competitions for two years.

This suspension put the team at risk of being banned from international football by FIFA for reasons of political interference. On 5 July 2010, the Nigerian government rescinded its ban of the national football team from FIFA/CAF football competitions. Nigeria was indefinitely banned from international football due to government interference following the 2010 World Cup. Four days later, however, the ban was “provisionally lifted”.

Brazil 2014

Nigeria’s campaign in the 2014 FIFA World Cup opened with a disappointing 0–0 draw against Iran. Four days later, the team played their second game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a controversial 29th-minute goal by Peter Odemwingie giving the Super Eagles their first World Cup win since 1998.

They faced Argentina four days later, with the game ending in a five-goal thriller as the Albiceleste secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory. A third-minute Lionel Messi goal for the opposition was followed almost instantly with an equaliser by Ahmed Musa.

Messi gave Argentina the lead back just before half-time. In the second half, Musa leveled the game out again, as Messi was substituted and handed over his captaincy to Marcos Rojo, only for his replacement to put Argentina 3–2 ahead minutes later.

Nigeria lost the match, but still qualified for the round of 16. In the Round of 16, Nigeria faced France, an 18th-minute stabbed shot from Emmanuel Emenike saw the ball in the net, past the French goal-keeper but the goal was ruled off-side by the linesman.

Nigeria held them off until the 79th minute when a cross and a Paul Pogba header gifted France the lead. An accidental own goal by Super Eagles Captain Joseph Yobo in injury time put the result beyond any doubt, as the Super Eagles crashed out of the tournament. That was the third time Nigeria got eliminated in the World Cup round of 16.

Russia 2018

The Super Eagles became the first African team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosted by Russia after beating Zambia 1–0 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. On 3 June 2018, coach Gernot Rohr unveiled a 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

They, however, lost their first group match 2-0 to Croatia in Kaliningrad, before they won 2–0 in the second match against brave Iceland, with Musa scoring a brace to increase his World Cup tally to four goals.

Nigeria had a huge chance to qualify for the round of 16 as Argentina got demolished 3–0 by Croatia. Despite this advantage, the Super Eagles lost 2–1 to Argentina in their last group stage match, with Victor Moses scoring Nigeria’s lone goal. Following Iceland’s defeat to Croatia, Nigeria missed the opportunity to advance to the round of 16 and got eliminated from the tournament.