The World Is Missing Nigeria In Qatar 2022
5 Reasons the World Is Missing Nigeria in the Ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup.
It is no longer news that Nigeria did not qualify for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria Green-White-Green National Flag
Nigeria is simply not taking part in the ongoing Federation de Internationale Football Association, FIFA, championship.
Why?
What happened?
I’ll tell you!
Here’s goes the sad story.
Nigeria’s senior men’s national team, the Super Eagles, were eliminated in the final qualification match by their Ghanaian counterparts, the Black Stars.
Nigeria’s national men’s senior team, the Super Eagles
It was a very painful loss, for several obvious reasons.
Nigerians felt the loss as badly as a loving mother would feel the death of her dear child.
That inexplicable circumstance triggered some angry Nigerian soccer fans to go on a rampage, which resulted in the loss of life and the wanton destruction of properties at the venue of the match, MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
The rest is history.
What is news, now, is that the entire soccer-loving world is missing and feeling the absence of Nigeria at the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
Most of the foreign nationals I spoke with, here in Qatar, about the absence of Nigeria, in the ongoing FIFA World Cup wished that Nigeria had qualified for the championship.
Here are the 5 reasons the World Is Missing Nigeria at the Ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup – The World Is Missing Nigeria In Qatar 2022
- Popularity
Nigeria has not won or is yet to win the senior men’s FIFA World Cup like Brazil, England, France, Italy, Argentina, and a host of other winners, yet it is one of the most popular soccer-playing and soccer-loving countries in the world.
For such a popular soccer-playing and soccer-loving African country not being at the FIFA World Cup means less hope for Africa in the Mondial.
2. Soccer Artistry
Nigeria is known to have produced and still produces gifted football players, especially at the World Cup level, who are known for their soccer artistry.
Among such gifted names are Philip Osondu, Oladimeji Lawal, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, Rashidi Yekini, Christopher Ohehen, and Mutiu Adepoju, popularly known as ‘Headmaster’ because of his gift of scoring most of his goals with his head.
Late Rashidi Yekini’s famous goal celebration at the USA ’94 FIFA World Cup
The absence of Nigeria in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar means that FIFA and the entire soccer-loving world would be the soccer artistry for which Nigeria is known.
3. Miracle Working Power
Russia was leading Nigeria in the second half of the quarter-final match of the FIFA Junior World held in Damman, Saudi Arabia, in 1989.
About thirty minutes to the end of the match, Nigerian fans, including Nigerians, began to leave the stadium in disappointment, with no hope of Nigeria equalizing the four goals deficit, let alone winning the match.
But just as the angry fans were trooping out of the stadium, the Nigerian boys suddenly found their rhythm and started pulling back those deficits, until they miraculously equalized the four goals.
Some of the members of the 1989 Flying Eagles of Nigeria Miracle Squad
Roll Call of the 1989 Flying Eagles Miracle Squad
Angus Ikeji
Jimoh Balogun
Nduka Ugbade
Christopher Ohenhen
Samuel Elijah
Enegwea Taiwo
Oladuni Oyekale
Mutiu Adepoju
Peter Ogaba
Oladimeji Lawal
Anthony Emedofu
Odiari Chinedu
Tunde Charity
Christopher Nwosu
Michael Onyemachara
Bawa Abdullahi
PhilipOsondu
Emeka Amadi
After that dramatic 4-4 draw, Nigeria went ahead to win that match 5-3 on penalties, in what was known and is still known, all over the world, as ‘The Miracle of Damman,’
Because of that memorable feat, FIFA and soccer fans all over the world are always excited to have Nigeria’s soccer team as one of the participating countries in any FIFA World Cup championship.
The absence of Nigeria at the ongoing Qatar 2022 means that the world will be missing her ‘Miracle Working Power.’
4. Most Entertaining Football Supporters
Whenever Nigeria is participating in the FIFA World Cup championship, at any level, you’d always notice the presence of the indefatigable Nigerian Football Supporters Club at all the stadia where the Nigerian team is scheduled to play its matches.
The football supporters club is known for the glamour and entertainment it brings into world football.
The Famous Nigeria Football Supporters Club
Members of the club who are usually dressed in their beautiful green and white colours of Nigeria attire, make football very interesting and enjoyable with their songs and pulsating dance steps that are accompanied by different local musical instruments.
The absence of the magnificent football club in the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup taking place in Qatar, according to one of my respondents, will surely deny the event some shine which the Nigerian Football Supporters Club usually brings to it.
5. Loss of Patronage
Each FIFA World Cup that Nigeria participates in is treated with joy by Nigerians, no matter which part of the world the event is taking place.
Both individuals and corporate Nigerians use the occasion to promote their businesses and make money for themselves, as well as make money for FIFA through television and broadcast rights.
But whenever Nigeria fails to qualify for any edition of the FIFA World Cup, as it happened recently, most Nigerians, except for the diehard soccer lovers, are always reluctant to be excited and interested in following the event.
I want to use this opportunity, therefore, to commiserate with FIFA and the entire world of lovers of soccer on the absence of Nigeria in the 2022 FIFA World Cup championship.
I assure them that those involved in the development of football in Nigeria will not allow a repeat of such misfortune.
The World Is Missing Nigeria In Qatar 2022. THE END.
By Emeka Nnamdi from Qatar. Emeka, a veteran journalist lives in the United Arab Emirates, where he practices freelance journalism.
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