It is a transcontinental rivalry that is fast spreading across all competitions. From the FIFA World Cup to the football tournament of the Olympics, the King Fahd Intercontinental Cup later redesignated as Confederation Cup, the U-17 World Cup, the U-20 World Cup and friendly matches – Argentina and Nigeria are fast becoming fierce rivals.

And so, for the third time in history, Nigeria and Argentina will go head-to-head at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, as they clash in a highly anticipated Round of 16 encounter at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago, Chile, on Wednesday. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. Nigerian time.

The Flying Eagles delegation arrive in Santiago

The fixture rekindles one of youth football’s most captivating rivalries, with both nations boasting rich histories at the global stage.

Their most recent meeting came two years ago when Nigeria stunned hosts Argentina 2-0 in the Round of 16 — a result that sent shockwaves across the tournament. Goals from Ibrahim Muhammad and Haliru Sarki sealed that famous win, propelling the Flying Eagles into the quarter-finals before they bowed out to the Republic of Korea after extra time.

The rivalry dates back decades. In the 2005 final in the Netherlands, Argentina triumphed 2-1 over Nigeria thanks to two penalty goals from Lionel Messi, while Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi struck a memorable goal for the Flying Eagles.

 Argentina remain the most successful nation in the tournament’s history with six titles, while Nigeria have reached the final twice (1989 and 2005) and claimed bronze in 1985.

Despite the Albiceleste’s pedigree, the Flying Eagles — seven-time African champions — will take to the pitch in Santiago with belief and determination, buoyed by a strong group-stage showing. Coach Aliyu Zubair’s men collected four points from their three matches, including a spirited 1-1 draw with Colombia, in which Nigeria struck the crossbar three times before captain Daniel Bameyi coolly converted a late penalty.

That performance, built on resilience and attacking flair, has strengthened confidence within the Nigerian camp. However, Zubair will have to make at least one change in attack as Suleman Sani is suspended after receiving two yellow cards in the group stage.

The Flying Eagles arrived in Santiago from Talca on Monday evening and will hold a final training session on Tuesday ahead of their showdown with the South American giants.

With history, pride, and a place in the quarter-finals at stake, Wednesday’s clash promises another thrilling chapter in the long-running Nigeria–Argentina football rivalry.

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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will take to the pitch in a make-or-break Group F encounter against Colombia at the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile on Sunday night in Chile, but Monday morning in Nigeria.

The game carries huge stakes for both teams. Nigeria must win to secure a top-two finish and automatic passage to the Round of 16. A draw or defeat would confine them to third place, leaving qualification dependent on results from other groups.

Colombia, on the other hand, need only a draw to confirm their place in the knockout stage after a steady start to their campaign.

The South Americans are expected to approach the match with caution, aware that avoiding defeat will be enough to advance.

Nigeria’s coach Aliyu Zubairu is expected to rally his players for one final push, knowing that victory is the only guarantee for survival in the competition. Fans back home will be watching closely in the early hours of Monday, hoping the Flying Eagles can rise to the occasion and keep their World Cup hopes alive.

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Morocco’s return to the FIFA U-20 World Cup after two decades has found a face: Othmane Maamma.

In two group matches the 19-year-old has provided the decisive moments that have taken the Atlas Cubs from dark horses to group winners, first shredding Spain down the right and then stunning Brazil with a scissor-kick of rare audacity. If this is a tournament that forges futures, Maamma looks forged already.

The Watford forward (signed from Montpellier in July) has been Morocco’s spearhead and safety valve in Chile: a direct runner on the shoulder, happy to carry 30 metres in transition, and ruthless when the window opens.

 Against Spain he turned defence into incision, burning his full-back to square for Gessime Yassine’s clincher in a 2-0 win.

Four days later, with Brazil squeezing, he improvised the goal of the night — opening his body to acrobatically volley in Gessime’s deep cross — and tilted a heavyweight contest Morocco’s way in a 2-1 victory that sealed qualification.

Maamma’s impact has been as much about tone as numbers. Morocco have been compact and pragmatic without the ball, then startlingly vertical when it’s won. That suits a winger who relishes space and duels.

“I like to sit on the shoulders of the defenders and exploit space. I like one-on-ones, when I can use my acceleration to gain that extra space,” he explained earlier in the week in an interview with FIFA.com.

It’s exactly what head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has asked for: narrow lines to deny passing lanes, then release the wide players quickly and with purpose.

Just as striking has been the teenager’s calm. “Football is football. It doesn’t matter where or who you’re up against,” Maamma said after the Spain game. “You just need to keep a cool head and your emotions in check.”

The message never changed ahead of Brazil either. “I speak of Brazil just as I spoke of Spain. It’s going to be another big game. We’ll do absolutely everything we can to win.” The delivery matched the rhetoric.

Technically, Maamma mixes old-school winger values with modern versatility. He can start wide right and drive outside to cross, drift infield to combine off the nine, or attack the back post from the far side — the movement that produced his bicycle-style strike against Brazil.

At 1.82m, he carries aerial threat and protects the ball better than many pure sprinters; his first touch is typically forward, his second decisive.

This tournament has also underlined how carefully Morocco have built a pathway. Maamma debuted for Montpellier in May 2024, collecting 14 Ligue 1 appearances (two goals, one assist) before Watford moved in the summer, seeing a profile to develop rather than a finished article.

In Chile he has been deployed with clarity. The system demands defensive shifts, then trusts him to decide the transition: carry or combine. His assist versus Spain and finish versus Brazil are two sides of the same coin.

Around him, a coherent team is growing. Yassir Zabiri has provided punch in the inside-left channel, Yassine’s volume of work has made others quicker, while the back line has absorbed pressure with mature discipline.

Ouahbi has tried to keep a lid on the mood — “We’re happy. But it’s only three points, we haven’t achieved anything yet… We want more. Confidence is growing, but we’re going to try to stay humble,” he said after beating Spain — yet even he will recognise how the right talent in the right structure can accelerate belief.

Where does this go next? In the short term, to a last-16 tie with a very different kind of pressure: expectation. Opponents will drop five yards deeper, full-backs will be less adventurous, and the space Maamma feasted on may shrink.

The next step in his tournament will be about variety — receiving to feet and combining in tighter corridors, drawing fouls, and making set plays count. Through two tests, he’s shown the decision-making to adapt.

In the longer view, it’s hard not to project forward. Morocco’s senior side has set a new standard for North African football in recent years; the conveyor belt below them is the point.

A winger who can both hurt elite opponents in transition and contribute in structured possession is a profile every national coach covets. On Chilean evidence, Maamma belongs in that conversation sooner rather than later.

For now, the brief remains simple: keep doing what’s working. Beat your man. Choose the moment. Trust the plan.

In a World Cup that often belongs to the cool-headed, Othmane Maamma has already shown he can decide games without hurry. Morocco have a star for this tournament — and, just maybe, a pillar for the next decade.

-CAFonline

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