1994 Nigeria: Africa's Best or an Underachieving team?
There is no disputing the pedigree of Nigeria's 1994 national team that was ranked No.5 in the world, won the Cup for African Nations (AFCON), and reached the last 16 at the World Cup. Clearly, no Nigerian team has come close before and since then. Although, there are those who may argue that the 2013 team comes close but certainly not in the minds of a great number of Nigerian teams that witnessed that 1994 team.
But having stated the above, it is arguable whether that 1994 team can be classified as Africa's best squad ever in spite of its lofty No. 5 ranking back then. Some may well argue that the team's failure to overcome Italy at the 1994 World Cup forever condemns the team to a place in the rankings behind the three African teams that have ventured to the last 8 of a World Cup. But should statistics and records be the deciding factors on this issue of Africa's best? Well, lets take a look.
The Argument for Quantification
For an examination of quantitative performance, it may be helpful to look at performances of the teams challenging for Africa's Best and then examine achievements of players on those squads. To examine teams, I look at their accomplishments at the world stage including at the World Cup, Confederations Cup, and the highest attained global ranking.
Performance at World Cup. Clearly, Nigeria's 1994 squad may be deemed inferior to Cameroon 1990, Senegal 2002, and Ghana 2010 squads that all reached the quarter final stage of the World Cup. Nigeria 1994 team lost in the last 16. In terms of performance at the Confederations Cup, the 1994 Nigerian squad finished fourth and was surpassed by Cameroon's 2003 squad which went all the way to the final game of the Confederation Cup before being outlasted by France in extra time.
But the 1994, it should be noted, failed to reach the quarter finals of the World Cup because it was beaten in extra time by Italy which went on to finish second in the World. None of the three African teams that reached the World Cup quarterfinals was eliminated by the top two teams at the World Cup. Cameroon 1990 was eliminated by England that finished fourth, Senegal 2002 and Ghana 2010 were eliminated by teams that finished third (Turkey and Uruguay respectively). When Nigeria 1994 met the team that finished third at the 1994 World Cup (Bulgaria), Nigeria cruised to a 3-0 victory.
However, the 1994 squad is the highest ever FIFA-ranked African team. It was ranked number 5 in 1994, a rank that has yet to be achieved by any other African team.
Moreover, that 1994 African team did not just emerge at the World Cup, it won the African Nations Cup in the same year. This is a feat that was not achieved by any of the African teams that reached the World Cup quarter finals. Although both the Senegal 2002 and Ghana 2010 teams reached the AFCON final, they both lost. Cameroon 1990 did not even reach the AFCON final of that year having been eliminated in the group phase!
Performance of Players in those Squads. Individual accolades obtained by individual players of players who were starters or fringe in those squads can also tell the story of the strength of the squads. The 1994 Nigerian squad produced, significantly, more players that received such accolades when compared to Cameroon 1990, Senegal 2002, and Ghana 2010 squads. Table 1 below provides the distribution of those accolades. This indicates the strength in depth of the Nigerian squad and how it was sustained several years after 1994.
Performance at World Cup. Clearly, Nigeria's 1994 squad may be deemed inferior to Cameroon 1990, Senegal 2002, and Ghana 2010 squads that all reached the quarter final stage of the World Cup. Nigeria 1994 team lost in the last 16. In terms of performance at the Confederations Cup, the 1994 Nigerian squad finished fourth and was surpassed by Cameroon's 2003 squad which went all the way to the final game of the Confederation Cup before being outlasted by France in extra time.
But the 1994, it should be noted, failed to reach the quarter finals of the World Cup because it was beaten in extra time by Italy which went on to finish second in the World. None of the three African teams that reached the World Cup quarterfinals was eliminated by the top two teams at the World Cup. Cameroon 1990 was eliminated by England that finished fourth, Senegal 2002 and Ghana 2010 were eliminated by teams that finished third (Turkey and Uruguay respectively). When Nigeria 1994 met the team that finished third at the 1994 World Cup (Bulgaria), Nigeria cruised to a 3-0 victory.
However, the 1994 squad is the highest ever FIFA-ranked African team. It was ranked number 5 in 1994, a rank that has yet to be achieved by any other African team.
Moreover, that 1994 African team did not just emerge at the World Cup, it won the African Nations Cup in the same year. This is a feat that was not achieved by any of the African teams that reached the World Cup quarter finals. Although both the Senegal 2002 and Ghana 2010 teams reached the AFCON final, they both lost. Cameroon 1990 did not even reach the AFCON final of that year having been eliminated in the group phase!
Performance of Players in those Squads. Individual accolades obtained by individual players of players who were starters or fringe in those squads can also tell the story of the strength of the squads. The 1994 Nigerian squad produced, significantly, more players that received such accolades when compared to Cameroon 1990, Senegal 2002, and Ghana 2010 squads. Table 1 below provides the distribution of those accolades. This indicates the strength in depth of the Nigerian squad and how it was sustained several years after 1994.
But are Stats that Important? Lets Look at a Qualitative Case
While the numbers above make a vigorous case for the 1994 Nigerian team as Africa's best ever, it is important to examine also qualitative aspects. Here, we focus squarely on the 1994 Nigerian team. In doing so, I examine the team and then examine the individual players.
The Team. There is little doubt that the Nigerian squad of 1994 was Africa's dominant team and possibly that dominance extended to 1998 before the core of the squad including Rashidi Yekini, Uche Okechukwu, Chidi Nwanu, Ben Iroha, Daniel Amokachi, and Emmanuel Amuneke began to wane. They won the AFCON in 1994 and could possibly have done so in 1996 and 1998 if they had not been banned by the CAF over political issues. They were feared by other African teams and even with a weakened team late in the century, they came into games against African opponents as the overwhelming favorites to win. But it was not just being dominant in Africa. In the two World Cups of that period -- 1994 and 1998 -- the team was the only African team to go beyond the group phase of those tournaments. In essence, it was quite clear that they were Africa's most dominant team of that era.
The Players. The Nigeria 1994 team was so deep that several players who were not every game starters, including the likes of Augustine Okocha, Emmanuel Amuneke, and Finidi George were at top European clubs. Remember, Geogre was not an every game starter until the third game of the group phase of the 1994 AFCON. amuneke was not a certain starter until the championship game of the same tournament. Okocha? He was not a certain starter even at the 1994 World Cup, months later! Okocha was at the time clearly a mercurial player when he was on the field and four years later, in 1998, was named among the top 16 players at the World Cup. Meanwhile, just a year after the 1994 AFCOn, both George and Kanu who could not make the World Cup squad of 21994 were among players winning the European club with Ajax Amsterdam. Victor Ikpeba, a mere squad member of the 1994 World Cup team, was a star at AC Monaco in France and in the previous year he had been named the top Black footballer in Belgium. The point here was that on the Nigerian team, these players were not the core stars of the 1994 team. That core star circle included the likes of Peter Rufai, Uche Okechukwu, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, and Rashidi Yekini.
The Team. There is little doubt that the Nigerian squad of 1994 was Africa's dominant team and possibly that dominance extended to 1998 before the core of the squad including Rashidi Yekini, Uche Okechukwu, Chidi Nwanu, Ben Iroha, Daniel Amokachi, and Emmanuel Amuneke began to wane. They won the AFCON in 1994 and could possibly have done so in 1996 and 1998 if they had not been banned by the CAF over political issues. They were feared by other African teams and even with a weakened team late in the century, they came into games against African opponents as the overwhelming favorites to win. But it was not just being dominant in Africa. In the two World Cups of that period -- 1994 and 1998 -- the team was the only African team to go beyond the group phase of those tournaments. In essence, it was quite clear that they were Africa's most dominant team of that era.
The Players. The Nigeria 1994 team was so deep that several players who were not every game starters, including the likes of Augustine Okocha, Emmanuel Amuneke, and Finidi George were at top European clubs. Remember, Geogre was not an every game starter until the third game of the group phase of the 1994 AFCON. amuneke was not a certain starter until the championship game of the same tournament. Okocha? He was not a certain starter even at the 1994 World Cup, months later! Okocha was at the time clearly a mercurial player when he was on the field and four years later, in 1998, was named among the top 16 players at the World Cup. Meanwhile, just a year after the 1994 AFCOn, both George and Kanu who could not make the World Cup squad of 21994 were among players winning the European club with Ajax Amsterdam. Victor Ikpeba, a mere squad member of the 1994 World Cup team, was a star at AC Monaco in France and in the previous year he had been named the top Black footballer in Belgium. The point here was that on the Nigerian team, these players were not the core stars of the 1994 team. That core star circle included the likes of Peter Rufai, Uche Okechukwu, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, and Rashidi Yekini.
The Conclusion
So what does this all mean? One thing for sure, and inarguable, is that the 1994 Nigerian team was an extraordinary one and not only did it achieve remarkable results that led to undeniable domination of African football from 1994 until perhaps 2000 when the team's last remnants were unmasked by an emerging African power -- Cameroon at the AFCON. That it failed to advance to deserved final 8 place at the World Cup of 1994 and 1998 remains one of the failings of that great team. In 1994, it was a mere two minutes away! It had Italy by the neck with a 1-0 lead and a player advantage only to fall apart at the last moments. That Italian team was to place second at that tournament losing by penalty kicks to champion Brazil. It is that failure that allows Nigeria 1994 to even be challenged by the likes of Cameroon 1990, Senegal 2002 and Ghana 2010 that all reached the quarter final of the World Cup. In 1998, the team lost to Denmark 1-4 in a surprise result when many expected Nigeria to overcome Denmark and set up a remarkable quarter final against Brazil. That is now history.
So what does this all mean? One thing for sure, and inarguable, is that the 1994 Nigerian team was an extraordinary one and not only did it achieve remarkable results that led to undeniable domination of African football from 1994 until perhaps 2000 when the team's last remnants were unmasked by an emerging African power -- Cameroon at the AFCON. That it failed to advance to deserved final 8 place at the World Cup of 1994 and 1998 remains one of the failings of that great team. In 1994, it was a mere two minutes away! It had Italy by the neck with a 1-0 lead and a player advantage only to fall apart at the last moments. That Italian team was to place second at that tournament losing by penalty kicks to champion Brazil. It is that failure that allows Nigeria 1994 to even be challenged by the likes of Cameroon 1990, Senegal 2002 and Ghana 2010 that all reached the quarter final of the World Cup. In 1998, the team lost to Denmark 1-4 in a surprise result when many expected Nigeria to overcome Denmark and set up a remarkable quarter final against Brazil. That is now history.
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