International Football
FIFA’S TIMELY WARNING TO SUPER EAGLES: FIVE REASONS ICELAND CAN SHOCK THE WORLD
World football governing body and owners of the World Cup competition has warned the global audience to watch out for the mystery team called Iceland when the World Cup kicks off in June next year.
Iceland, one of the two debutants and the smallest county ever to qualify for the World Cup, will feature in Group D where the Super Eagles will be attempting to cross to the next round.
Iceland will be Nigeria’s second opponents after that of Croatia before facing Argentina.
FIFA in its website gave five reasons why Iceland can shock the world. It remarked that there is an undeniable novelty factor to the small country’s participation at Russia 2018.
“Even their manager, Heimir Hallgrimsson, acknowledged as much after their spot at the FIFA World Cup – and place in history as the smallest nation ever to qualify – was secured. “This is really odd,” he said. “I mean, Pele, Maradona… Aron Einar Gunnarsson.”
FIFA warned that no one should be fooled by this light-hearted suggestion that Iceland, and their bearded captain, might seem out of place among the game’s greats on the global stage.
“For all the focus on their record-breaking population, they were also the smallest country ever to qualify for the UEFA European Championship – and everyone knows how that tale unfolded.
‘Indeed, while Iceland’s World Cup hopes haven’t been aided by a tough draw that has pitted them against Argentina, Croatia and Nigeria, there is plenty of cause for optimism. And if Lionel Messi, Luka Modric and Co need any reminding, FIFA.com has five reasons why the Nordic newcomers are a team worth fearing”.
According to FIFA the Icelanders are serial giant-killers. “‘The bigger they are, the harder they fall’ seems to be the motto of a team that, over the past couple of years, has beaten the likes of Croatia, the Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, Greece and, most famously of all, England.
“As midfielder Olafur Skulason said: “I could see the newspapers in other countries talking about how unlucky we are to get that kind of group – but that is exactly what we want. We want those big games. We want to play against Argentina. What an amazing team to play against in the first game ever for Iceland in the World Cup!”
FIFA also remarked that Iceland can better their EURO heroics. It will be recalled that Iceland stunned the football world by qualifying from their group at UEFA EURO 2016, then knocking out England in the last 16.
But despite their outstanding results, which also included a win over Austria and a draw with eventual champions Portugal, the players insisted that performance levels were below par. “I strongly believe we’re better than we showed in most of those games,” veteran defender Kari Arnason told FIFA.com.
“There were nerves at the EURO but we’re normally better in keeping the ball, working openings.” This was borne out in qualifying, when Iceland impressed en route to topping a group featuring Croatia, Turkey and Ukraine. It also bodes well for Russia 2018. As Arnason said: “It’s nice to say that we did so well [at the EURO] and still have a lot of room to improve.”
FIFA also points out that Iceland have a star No. 10 of their own. Lionel Messi might be Group D’s headline act, but Iceland also have an influential and highly effective No10 in the shape of Gylfi Sigurdsson.
The midfielder is undoubtedly the ace in the debutants’ pack, with vision, shooting ability and set-piece expertise among his most notable attributes. As Sigurdsson’s former manager, Lars Lagerback, pointed out, he also epitomises Iceland’s team-centred approach.
“Together with Henrik Larsson, I would say that Gylfi is the best team player I’ve worked with,” Lagerback said of the man Everton paid £45 million for. “He always plays for the team and must be one of the best two-way midfield players out there.”
FIFA also hailed the Icelandic team spirit which it described as second-to-none.
Though their midfield playmaker stands out, Iceland’s strength lies not in star players, but in unity. Sigurdsson himself acknowledged this when asked about the secret behind their success.
“It has a lot to do with the team spirit that we have,” he said. “How we are as a group is unique.” The country’s modest population, and the consequently small pool of players to pick from, ensures that Hallgrimsson’s squad rarely changes, and is largely comprised of close friends who have come through the youth ranks together.
According to FIFA, the Icelandic players have a special bond with their supporters. In most countries, the idea of the national coach visiting fans in the pub ahead of matches would be unthinkable.
But according to FIFA, this is not so with Iceland, where Hallgrimsson has maintained these remarkable routine – briefing supporters on tactics, sharing motivational videos – throughout the last two qualifying campaigns.
“There’s a closeness there that makes us a little special,” he explained. “We have built a unique relationship with our fans and my visits to the bar have become a sweet Icelandic tradition.”
Another tradition, which became famous at the EURO – when almost ten per cent of Iceland’s population headed to France to cheer the team on -, is the ‘Thunderclap’.
The war cry-like chant drew inspiration from the film ‘300’ and made for an intimidating sight and sound. As one Portuguese journalist wrote at the EURO: “Don’t cross Iceland – their Viking chant is terrifying!”
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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