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MIKEL OBI GOES FOR 80TH INTERNATIONAL CAP

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7 years ago

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Super Eagles’ skipper, Mikel Obi is on the threshold of getting into the prestigious FIFA Century Club, an exclusive assembly of players who have made at least 100 international appearances.

With strong indications that Mikel will be featured in Friday’s game with Algeria, Sports Village Square can declare that he will be making his 80th appearance in proper grade A match for Nigeria.

Twenty more matches including the scheduled one with Argentina next week, other pre World Cup friendly matches and at least the three group games at Russia 2018, Mikel Obi may just clock 100 caps.

If fielded in Friday’s match with Algeria, Mikel will be, the fourth most capped Nigerian international after those of Vincent Enyeama (101 caps), Joseph Yobo (100) and the late Muda Lawal (86).

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Incidentally, all those with over 80 international appearances have been captains of the Nigerian team.

Mikel made his international debut when he came in as a substitute for Chris Obodo in an August 17, 2005 friendly match with Libya in Tripoli. It was a trial match ahead of a 2006 World Cup qualifying match with Algeria, in Oran.

He also came in as a substitute for Wilson Oruma in Nigeria’s second group game with Zimbabwe in the Africa Cup of Nation duel in Port Said, Egypt on January 27, 2006.

His introduction was impactful as he almost immediately doubled Nigeria’s lead, scoring his first international goal. Apart from featuring in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations quarter finals duel with Tunisia in Port Said, Mikel continued to make cameo appearances in the Super Eagles until disastrous 1-4 loss to Ghana in a friendly match on February 6, 2007 in London.

That was the last match for Austin Eguavoen as the team manager. He stepped aside for Germany’s Berti Vogts who watched from the side lines and signed his contract two days later.

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In his 79 matches so far, he played as substitute or was substituted 18 times.

To his credit, Mikel has played all tiers of national team football for Nigeria and participated in all FIFA final competitions. Staring with 2003 Under 17 World Cup in Finland, the U-20 in the Netherlands in 2005, the Under 23 football tournament of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016, the FIFA Confederation Cup in Brazil 2013, the FIFA World Cup in Brazil 2014 as well as featuring for Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2012.

Though a midfielder, he scored six goals for Nigeria in the 79 matches he has played so far.

 

 ALL MATCHES MIKEL OBI PLAYED FOR SUPER EAGLES

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  1. August 17, 2005 (F-Tripoli) LIBYA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 27, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) ZIMBABWE 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (sub) 1 goal

 

  1. February 4, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) TUNISIA 1 – 1  NIGERIA  * 5-6 pens

 

  1. February 7, 2006 (AFCON-Alexandria) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. September 2, 2006 (AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 NIGER. (sub)

 

  1. February 6, 2007 (F-London) GHANA 4 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. March 24, 2007 (AFCONq-Abeokuta) NIGERIA 1 – 0 UGANDA.

 

  1. September 8, 2007 (AFCONq- Warri) NIGERIA 2 – 0 LESOTHO.

 

  1. October 14, 2007 (F- Mexico City) MEXICO 2 – 2 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 21, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 25, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) MALI 0 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 29, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) BENIN 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (1 goal)

 

  1. February 3, 2008 (AFCON- Accra) GHANA 2 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. May 27, 2008 (F- Graz) AUSTRIA 1 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. June 1, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 SOUTH AFRICA.

 

  1. June 7, 2008 (WCq-Freetown) SIERRA LEONE 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. June 21, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 EQUATORIAL GUINEA. (sub)

 

  1. February 11, 2009 (F-London) JAMAICA 0 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. March 29, 2009 (WCq-Maputo) MOZAMBIQUE 0 -0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. June 20, 2009 (WCq-Rades) TUNISIA 0 -0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2009 (WCq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 2  TUNISIA

 

  1. November 14, 2009 (WCq-Nairobi) KENYA 2 – 3 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 6, 2010 (F- Durban) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 12, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) EGYPT 3 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 16, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) BENIN 0 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 20, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) MOZAMBIQUE 0 – 3 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 25, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA (aet) 4-5 pens

 

  1. January 28. 2010 (AFCON- Luanda) GHANA 1 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 30, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) ALGERIA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. September 5, 2010 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2- 0 MADAGASCAR (sub)

 

  1. March 29, 2011 (F- Abuja) NIGERIA 3- 0 KENYA

 

  1. June 1, 2011 ( F- Abuja) NIGERIA 4- 1 ARGENTINA

 

  1. June 5, 2011 ( AFCONq- Addis Ababa)  ETHIOPIA 2-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 3, 2011 (AFCONq- Antananarivo) MADAGASCAR 0-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2011 ( F- Dhaka) ARGENTINA 3-1 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. October 8, 2011 ( AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2-2 GUINEA

 

  1. October 11, 2011 (F-London) NIGERIA 0-0 GHANA (sub)

 

  1. October 13, 2012 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 6-1 LIBERIA (1 goal pen)

 

  1. January 9, 2013 (F – Faro) CAPE VERDE 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 21, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) BURKINA FASO 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 25, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) ZAMBIA 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 29, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) ETHIOPIA 0-2 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. February 3, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) COTE D’IVOIRE 1-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. February 6, 2013 (AFCON – Durban) MALI 1-4 NIGERIA

 

 

  1. February 10, 2013 (AFCON –  J’burg) BURKINA FASO 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. March 23, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 1-1 KENYA

 

  1. June 5, 2013 (WCq – Nairobi) KENYA 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 12, 2013 (WCq- Windhoek) NAMIBIA 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 17, 2013 (Confed – Belo Horizonte) TAHITI 1-6 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 20, 2013 (Confed – Salvador) URUGUAY 2-1 NIGERIA (1 goal)

 

  1. June 23, 2013 (Confed – Fortaleza) SPAIN 3-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 7, 2013 (WCq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 MALAWI

 

  1. October 13, 2013 (WCq- Addis Ababa) ETHIOPIA 1-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. November 16, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 ETHIOPIA

 

  1. November 18, 2013 (F- London) ITALY 2-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. March 6, 2014(F- Georgia) MEXICO 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 4, 2014 (F- Pennsylvania) GREECE 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 7, 2014 (F- Florida) USA 2-1 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. n June 16, 2014 (WC- Curitiba) IRAN 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 21. 2014 (WC- Cuiaba) BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 25, 2014 (WC-Porto Alegre) ARGENTINA 3-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 30, 2014 (WC- Brasilia) FRANCE 2-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2014 (AFCONq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-3 CONGO

 

  1. September 10, 2014 (AFCONq- Cape Town) SOUTH AFRICA 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 11, 2014 (AFCONq – Khartoum) SUDAN 1-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 15. 2014 (AFCONq – Abuja) NIGERIA 3-1 SUDAN

 

  1. November 15, 2014 (AFCONq- Pointe Noire) CONGO 0-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. November 19, 2014 (AFCONq- Uyo) NIGERIA 2-2 SOUTH AFRICA

 

  1. October 8, 2015 (F- Vise, Belgium) DR CONGO 2-0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. October 11, 2015 (F-Vise, Belgium) CAMEROON 0-3 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. November 13, 2015 (WCq- Lobamba) SWAZILAND 0-0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. March 25, 2016 (AFCONq- Kaduna) NIGERIA 1-1 EGYPT.

 

  1. March 29, 2016 (AFCONq- Alexandria) EGYPT 1-0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. September 3, 2016 (AFCONq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 TANZANIA. (sub)

 

  1. October 9, 2016 (WCq -Ndola) ZAMBIA 1-2 NIGERIA.

 

  1. November 12, 2016 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 3-1 ALGERIA. (sub, 1 goal)

 

  1. September 1, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 4-0 CAMEROON (sub, 1 goal)

 

  1. September 4, 2017 (WCq -Yaoundé) CAMEROON 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 7, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 ZAMBIA

 

 

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray

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4 days ago

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September 3, 2024

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At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.

He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m

He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.

The final points  are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.

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Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday

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4 days ago

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September 3, 2024

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Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.

The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.

“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.

“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.

“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.

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Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.

Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.

“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.

“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.

“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”

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Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

-Reuters

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Quitting Portugal never crossed my mind, says Ronaldo

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4 days ago

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September 3, 2024

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Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.

Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.

“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday.

“The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League … We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term.”

Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France.

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“Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter,” Ronaldo added.

“What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn’t the case.

“When I’m (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave. But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.”

The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship.

“Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress. It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t,” Ronaldo said.

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“So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.

“The people who give their opinions have never been in a locker room, and I often laugh because it’s the same thing as me talking about Formula 1.

“How can I give my opinion on Formula 1 if I don’t know anything about tires, rims or the weight of the car … It’s normal and that’s why for me criticism is good and part of it, it’s no problem at all.”

-Reuters

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