BY KUNLE SOLAJA,.Sports Village Square
On Wednesday, June 26, the Nigerian national male football team, the Super Eagles clocked 75 years. Since that 26 June 1949 date, what is today known as Super Eagles, Nigerias leading sports brand, was first composed. Logically, in 1949, the assembly was initially called the International Group and later named the UK Tourists. That was when the first Nigeria national team was composed.
Five years ago, on the same day, they defeated Guinea 1-0 to become the first of the 24 teams to advance beyond the group stage of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
For the records, after four trial matches involving teams from the North, East, West and Lagos, the Selection Committee of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) on 26 June 1949, announced 17 names as the first set of players of the Nigeria national team. The 18th player was named five days later.
The players announced were: Goalkeepers Sam Ibiam (Port Harcourt), Isaac Akioye (Ibadan); Defenders Justin Onwudiwe (Lagos Railway), Olisa Chukwura (Abeokuta), Ahmed Tijani B. Ottun (Lagos Marine), Isiaku Shittu (Lagos UAC), John Dankaro (Jos), Hope Lawson (Lagos Marine) and Dan Anyiam (Lagos UAC).
