Sunday Oliseh backs 1994 Super Eagles as Nigeria’s greatest team

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh has weighed in on the long-standing debate over the Super Eagles’ greatest football team, defending the 1994 squad as superior to the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team.

The discussion was reignited after Nigerian sports journalist Ken Ochonogor suggested on social media platform X that the 1980 team, led by Christian Chukwu and Segun Odegbami, could have defeated the more celebrated 1994 side.

“I still believe the 1980 team could have beaten the 1994 team,” Ochonogor wrote, drawing comparisons between key players from both eras.

“Okala vs Rufai, Chukwu vs Keshi, Muda vs Oliseh, Odegbami vs Finidi, Adokiye vs Amuneke. If only they had a Yekini!”

Oliseh, a pivotal figure in the 1994 team, responded directly to the post, defending his generation’s achievements.

“Well, you can easily rate the teams and players by what they achieved both at club side and national team levels,” he posted.

“With all due respect, no team collectively or individually to date has come close to what the 1994 team players achieved for club and country. Sorry!!”

The 1994 squad, which included stars like Rashidi Yekini, Jay-Jay Okocha, and Finidi George, won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and became the first Nigerian team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, advancing to the Round of 16 in the U.S.

In contrast, the 1980 team, coached by Otto Gloria, earned Nigeria’s first AFCON title on home soil and is remembered for laying the foundation of modern Nigerian football.

While both squads have a firm place in Nigerian football history, Oliseh’s comments have added fresh fuel to a debate that continues to captivate fans across generations.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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