By Anthony Akinwale

It is extremely rare that one’s country play in the World Cup in the city in which one lives twice in one’s lifetime.

The host nation changes every four years, and chances of one’s country qualifying for the World Cup and playing in a group based in the city where one lives are rare.

Of the seven years I lived in North America, the summer of 1994 was, for me, the most memorable. I was studying and living in Boston during USA ’94, the 1994 World Cup. I did not want to miss the opportunity of watching Nigeria play Argentina and Greece at Foxboro Stadium. Nigeria, my country, a country I love so much despite her many flaws, was playing in the World Cup close to where I lived.

In the 1994 World Cup, Nigeria put up quite a decent performance until 90 seconds before the end of regulation time in her match against Italy in the round of 16. In the group matches, after defeating Bulgaria by three goals to nothing in her first match in Dallas, Texas, Nigeria lost to Argentina by two goals to one in her second group match.

To the shock of the Argentines, Samson Sia Sia had opened scoring for Nigeria early in the first half. But Nigeria lost momentum and conceded two goals after that brilliant beginning. Then came the third group match, played against Greece, and Nigeria prevailed by two hard-earned goals to nothing.

I had calculated that Nigeria would come second in her group and play her round of 16 match in New York where I was to offer summer pastoral assistance in the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. But I miscalculated. Nigeria came first in her group, and remained in Boston for her round of 16 match against Italy. And so, I was in New York, in an Italian neighbourhood, while Nigeria was playing Italy in Boston. I could only watch the match on television.

Against Italy, Nigeria scored first through the sharp reflexes of Emmanuel Amunike. She held on to that goal until the dying seconds of the game when our players lost concentration and momentum. Capitalising on that loss of concentration was Roberto Baggio. He equalised for Italy 90 seconds to the end of regulation time. Italy went on to win the game in extra time with a penalty-kick earned and converted by Baggio after an infringement in the penalty box was committed by Augustine Eguavoen. Nigeria thus snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

It would seem, when it comes to the game of football, that loss of concentration and momentum in the closing minutes of a game is an African problem. In 1994, Nigeria gave away a lead, and got knocked out in the round of 16.

In the ongoing 2026 World Cup, with the exception of Ghana and Algeria, African teams that got knocked out during the round of 16 conceded goals in the dying minutes of the game. South Africa lost to Canada by conceding a goal in the 92nd minute of the match. Cote d’Ivoire lost to Norway by conceding a goal in the 86th minute. DR Congo lost to England by giving up a 7th minute lead, conceding goals in the 75th minute, and in the 86th minute.

Someone forgot to mark a player as dangerous as Kane. Senegal, after leading by two goals to nothing, lost to Belgium by conceding goals in the 86th, 89th, and 125th minutes. Someone went to sleep in the defence and allowed Lukaku to score three goals. Cape Verde lost to Argentina by conceding a goal in the 111th minute.

What has just been enumerated raises questions about tactical discipline, and about span of concentration of African footballers.

I am writing this immediately after watching Morocco put up an impressive performance to send off Canada by three goals to nothing. One is permitted to ask: Were the Super Eagles who conceded a late goal against Zimbabwe in the African qualifying match watching the game? Were the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire watching? And the Teranga Lions of Senegal?And the Leopards of Congo? And Cape Verde?

The 2030 World Cup is not in a distant future. It is, in fact, just around the corner. If Nigeria is to make an impact, as she did in 1994, she must begin to prepare now. The attitude of Nigerian footballers must change. Players must respect the coach and stop picking which matches to play. If you have a coach who has twice played in the World Cup, whereas you are yet to play in one, stop posturing as if you had arrived at the pinnacle of your career. Players with big ego may display individual artistry. But individual artistry alone is insufficient.

Without humility, individual artistry is rendered ineffective by hubris. The game of football is played as a team. As part of preparation, quality of management of the game must be looked into, and the Nigerian Premier Football League must be re-envisioned. It cannot be said to be a credible league at this point in time. Why is it that away teams rarely win league matches in Nigeria?

Whoever wishes to understand the behaviour of a people should study the way they drive on their streets, the way they park their vehicles, the way they practice religion, and the way they play the game of football.

In Nigeria today, there is disorder in our manner of driving on our highways. There is disorder in the way we park our vehicles. If you attend a public event and you wish to leave at a certain time, you can be sure there are cars obstructing your movement.

Announcements must be made, sometimes in vain, for their owners to come and remove them. There is disorder in our places of worship where entertainment has become a religion. There is even disorder in the doctrines we preach in our places of worship. There is disorder when intrigues, subterfuge and violence are mislabeled politics.

Africans are resilient and joyful, and in our joie de vivre, we love to enjoy life without planning life. This manifests itself in the way we play the game of football. We enjoy winning our football matches. But we are unwilling to plan the game of football.

Here then is a lesson we need to learn, in case we have not learnt it: the game of football requires order. But there is absence of order in Nigeria. A nation in disorder reflects the disorder in the inner lives of its citizens. The disorder in our public life reflects disorder in our hearts and minds. It manifests itself in the way we drive our cars, and in the way we use them to cause obstruction, in the way we worship and in the way we play the game of football.

If we must tell ourselves the truth, the Nigerian ego is big, even over bloated. Not only does it manifest itself in the way we drive, in our public life, it manifests itself in the ego of public office holders, and in the ego of super star footballers who could not qualify for the World Cup, despite their heroics in European leagues, and despite playing in an African qualifying group of weak teams. They earn fat salaries overseas. They consider it demeaning to take orders from local coaches.

Father Akinwale wrote from Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos State.