Sweet Soccer Memory: How the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria Defeated Germany, Won the First-Ever FIFA U-16 World Cup
Soccer-loving Nigerians are always happy and excited whenever they hear or remember the story of how their country’s, and indeed the World Golden Eaglets, defeated their German counterparts, on August 11, 1985, to win the maiden edition of the first-ever Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, U-16 World Cup held in the People’s Republic of China.
The reason I am recalling that memory, here, is to renew the excitement of Nigerians, especially at this critical of their history when insecurity has become the order of the day.
The journey to winning that competition was by no means a mean task.
To say it in the local language of Nigerians, ‘e no easy,’ yet the Golden Eaglets went, saw, and conquered.
One of the most interesting parts of the success of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets in that tournament was that the Nigeria team, captained by Nduka Ugbade, was completely made up of boys picked from various local Nigerian school teams, whereas their counterparts, from other countries, played for some of the most illustrious clubs in their respective countries.
You can confirm this claim on Wikipedia’s Website.
Because of that poor credential of the Nigerian boys, nobody, including Nigerians, except maybe their coaches, gave the young lads the chance of making any impact, let alone winning the final match and lifting the trophy.
The Sebastian Broderick-Imasuen-tutored boys simply went into the competition as the underdogs.
If a poll on their probability of success or the possibility of them winning the highest prize of the tournament had been conducted, at that time, the young lads from Nigeria wouldn’t have scored up to 30 % on a scale of 100%.
How Golden Eaglets Began the Journey to their Success
Nigeria was in ‘Group C’ with Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Costa Rica in that competition.
As action commenced, they defeated Italy and Costa Rica and drew with Saudi Arabia to finish second from the group stage.
The Golden Eaglets secured a 3-1 win over Hungary in the quarterfinals with a brace from Bella Momoh and one goal from Victor Igbinoba, which saw them through to the Semi-final stage with their fellow Africans from Guinea.
In an all-African semifinal against Guinea, Fatai Atere scored the only goal for Nigeria in a 1-1 draw, and the Golden Eaglets went on to win 4-2 on penalties, which gave them a passage into the final leg against their German counterparts, who beaten Brazil 4-3 with a hattrick from the Polish-born Marcel Witeczek, who moved to Germany as an infant.
How Nigerian Coaches and Golden Eaglets Planned the Fall of Germany
The plan that gave Golden Eaglets victory against the Germans, according to Captain Nduka Ugbade, was hatched before their semi-final match against their Guinean counterparts.
“Coaches Sebastian Broderick and Christian Chukwu said before the semi-final against Guinea that we have just two matches to go and that if we won both we would be World champions,” disclosed Ugbade.
“Chukwu said that we should not consider the trophy but that we should consider getting to the final first. And that if we get to the final, winning that final will be considered but winning the trophy will be as a result of winning the game. “He was trying to make us focus and not get ahead of ourselves.”
The plan for Nigeria to beat Germany was now dependent on the possibility of the Golden Eaglets being able to checkmate or curtail the ravaging tendencies of Germany’s Marcel Witeczek, who had been known to be a sharp-shooter and free-scoring danger-man of the German side.
“At our strategy sessions,” continued Captain Ugbade, “the coaches kept talking about the importance of getting an early goal and that once get the goal, we must sit on it and ensure that if we don’t score then we should not concede a goal. The coaches said we must score first and score early.
“The West Germans had a fearsome reputation. They were crushing all opposition with their top scorer Marcel Witeczek already on eight goals, the same number our own team had scored in the entire competition.
“Witeczek scored two hattricks and we knew if we must win the game, we must keep an eye on him. To keep him in check, Coach Brodericks instructed that we should not follow him around but anytime he’s close to the box we should quickly close him down.
“When we got to the stadium, we saw the Germans smartly dressed in Adidas kits and walking around while we both watched the third-placed game between Brazil and Guinea.
“The Brazilians beat Guinea 4-1 and we wondered if the Guineans who we struggled to beat in the semi-finals are being slaughtered like this by Brazil, then maybe we should be scared of the Germans who had defeated them in their semi-final.
“The coaches asked us to go into the dressing room and we started singing to motivate ourselves. Late Kingsley Aikhionbare, in his usual bravado, said: ‘Abeg make una no look their face. Dem no fit do us anything o, we go die here today.’ That gave us self-confidence and we were all fired up for the game.
“True to prediction, we started the game and quickly pressed for an early advantage. In the 4th minute, Fatai Atere released a pass down the right flank for Babatunde Joseph who took it down the line and made a pull out into the German danger area.
“According to our strategy, we had Bella Momoh, Sani Adamu and Jonathan Akpoborie inside the box who were ready to pounce.
“Akpoborie, who was previously injured and playing his first game of the competition, was quickest to react and he thumped the ball into the net. 1-0!
“The crowd went crazy. The Chinese supported us because Germany had beaten their team in the quarter-finals, so, they were naturally hostile to the Germans which was to our advantage but the Germans were very tough customers.
“At halftime, we saw some people in green entering the stadium and they told us they were the government delegation from Nigeria.
“The NFA chairman Group Captain Anthony Ikhazoboh and NFA member Alhaji Grema Mohammed as well as the others came into the dressing room to address us.
“Ikhazoboh said the game is being broadcast live in Nigeria and that we cannot afford to disappoint our parents and families and the entire country so we must ensure we keep our heads and win the match.
“He said in typical Pidgin English: ‘Shey una know say dem dey watch this match for Nigeria? Una go win this match o even if na one hour remain but na only 40 minutes so dey must not score us o. If una allow dem score, na we go carry the pressure and for penalty anything fit happen so when you enter field now na to go find second goal. Dem no sabi play reach una o.’
“Ikhazoboh was the ultimate Psychologist. He could talk you into doing anything. We were psyched up and left the dressing room pumped up and raring to go and devour the Germans.
“As we were entering the pitch, we were hearing the coaches shouting ‘just 40 minutes more,’ so we knew we were 40 minutes away from becoming world champions.
“We realised that we either keep our heads and win the game and the trophy or lose the game and subsequently the trophy.
“We didn’t like the prospect of losing out so we put in everything we have got. For more than 35 minutes we tried all our best but we were getting tired because the Germans were unrelenting and kept coming at us. They were also heavier and taller than us.
“Then, in the final minute, something dramatic happened. I think it was Bella Momoh that was trying to clear the ball away from inside our own half because at that time it was safety first approach.
“Before then, because I was close to the line, I could hear the coaches calling Victor Igbinoba to come back into our own half to help because he was also very tired.
“They just wanted him to leave the opponents’ half and help to ease the pressure. Suddenly, Bella Momoh’s cross-field pass from almost 50 yards found him on the right flank.
“The ball gave Igbinoba strength as he was suddenly faced by two defenders and the goalkeeper. He paced the ball and beat the two defenders in quick succession and then unleashed a left-foot screamer which rested in the roof of the net. 2-0!
“We were so happy that we mobbed him but the referee asked us to get back on to the pitch and continue the game. Aikhionbare said: ‘Ehen! Even if dem score one, by the time we pass and start again game go end. We no go even allow them smell our net.’
“The game started again but less than a minute later, the referee blew the final whistle and brought the game to an end. We were World Champions for the first time in the history of the black race.”
Nigeria defeated West Germany 2-0 in the final, with the goals coming from Jonathan Akpoborie and Victor Igbinoba.
Since that epoch-making victory, Nigeria has won four more FIFA-U-16 (now FIFA-U-17) championships: 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015, with another three runners-up appearances in 1987, 2001 and 2009, which made Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets the most successful team at this level.
The List of 1985 Golden Eaglets Squad that did Nigeria Proud in China
Lucky Agbonsevbafe – Goalkeeper
Imama Amapakabo – Goalkeeper
Tenworimi Duere – Defender
Nduka Ugbade – Defender
Fatai Atere – Defender
Binabei Numa – Defender
Chukwuma Nwoha – Defender
Baldwin Bazuaye – Defender
Kingsley Aikhionbore – Midfielder
Salisu Nakade – Midfielder
Sani Adamu – Midfielder
Hilary Adiki – Midfielder
Dele Abubakar – Midfielder
Mohamed Yahaya – Midfielder
Jonathan Akpoborie – Forward
Victor Igbinoba – Forward
Bella Momoh – Forward
Joseph Babatunde – Forward
Their coaches were Sebastian Broderick-Imasuen (Main Coach) and Christian Chukwu (Assistant Coach).
Well done, Golden Eaglets, for making Nigeria proud, well done Messrs Broderick-Imasuen and Chukwu for guiding and inspiring our young lads to success.
Sweet Soccer Memory: How the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria Defeated Germany, Won the First-Ever FIFA U-16 World Cup. THE END.
By Rosemary Duncan (Ms.)
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