‹ All XIs
The national collection · NGA
Nigeria
A team across generations. Build your eleven, then explore the careers.
Report an error
A team across generations
0 / 11
Drag a position anywhere and the label updates live. Tap a name to fill the open spot, tap ✕ to free a position.
The 330 on the pitch
The duels
Pick the greater legend. Every vote moves the people's ranking of Nigeria.
VS
The 33 of Nigeria.
Editorial order, with a career scene and sources behind every name.
01
JO
Jay-Jay Okocha 75 caps (Nigeria) · 14 goals · Eintracht Frankfurt, Paris Saint-GermainFive Karlsruhe defenders, some of them twice, then Oliver Kahn: that was Okocha's route to goal in Frankfurt on 31 August 1993, a strike Kahn still calls dizzying and Jürgen Klopp rates the best in Bundesliga history. The 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and Olympic gold at Atlanta in 1996 head his list, followed by the 2000 AFCON final with Nigeria, three World Cups, the captaincy of the Super Eagles, and a 1998 move to Paris Saint-Germain that made him the most expensive African footballer of his day.
CAM1993–2006
02
NK
Nwankwo Kanu 87 caps (Nigeria) · 12 goals · Arsenal, West Bromwich AlbionTrailing Brazil 3-1 in the Atlanta semi-final on 31 July 1996, Kanu equalised in the last minute and then struck the golden goal four minutes into extra time to win it 4-3.
CAM1994–2011
03
RY
Rashidi Yekini 58 caps (Nigeria) · 37 goals · Shooting Stars SC, VitóriaTwenty-one minutes into Nigeria's first World Cup match, against Bulgaria on 21 June 1994, he ran on into the goal, grabbed the netting with both fists and bellowed through it.
ST1984–1998
04
FG
Finidi George 62 caps (Nigeria) · 6 goals · AFC Ajax, Real Betis BalompiéAgainst Greece on 30 June 1994 he dinked the ball over Christos Karkamanis, then dropped onto all fours, crawled towards the corner flag and cocked a leg like a dog marking its patch.
RM1991–2002
05
SO
Sunday Oliseh 54 caps (Nigeria) · R.F.C. de Liège, 1. FC KölnFernando Hierro's clearing header dropped 25 yards out on 13 June 1998, and Oliseh hit it early and low past Andoni Zubizarreta to beat Spain 3-2.
CDM1993–2002
06
Victor Osimhen 51 (as of 4 October 2026) caps (Nigeria) · 35 (as of 4 October 2026) goals · Lille OSC, SSC NapoliThe protective mask dates from November 2021, when a collision at Inter fractured his cheekbone and eye socket, and he says it stays on for the rest of his career.
ST2017–
Victor Osimhen 51 (as of 4 October 2026) caps (Nigeria) · 35 (as of 4 October 2026) goals · Lille OSC, SSC NapoliThe protective mask dates from November 2021, when a collision at Inter fractured his cheekbone and eye socket, and he says it stays on for the rest of his career.
ST2017–
07
John Obi Mikel 91 caps (Nigeria) · Chelsea, Tianjin Jinmen TigerOn 26 June 2018, the day Nigeria played Argentina at the World Cup, he learned his father had been kidnapped, said nothing to the dressing room and played the full ninety minutes.
CDM2006–2019
John Obi Mikel 91 caps (Nigeria) · Chelsea, Tianjin Jinmen TigerOn 26 June 2018, the day Nigeria played Argentina at the World Cup, he learned his father had been kidnapped, said nothing to the dressing room and played the full ninety minutes.
CDM2006–2019
08
TW
Taribo West AJ Auxerre, Inter MilanHe dyed his braids to match the shirt, green and white at France 98, and he played every minute of Nigeria's six matches at Atlanta 1996.
CB1994–2005
09
VI
Victor Ikpeba 31 caps (Nigeria) · 7 goals · R.F.C. de Liège, AS MonacoArsène Wenger signed him for Monaco in 1993, and in the 1996-97 title season he scored 16 in the league and 22 in all competitions alongside Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet.
SS1992–2002
10
VE
Vincent Enyeama 101 caps (Nigeria) · Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv, HeartlandArgentina beat him only through Gabriel Heinze's header on 12 June 2010; Enyeama made six more saves, four from Lionel Messi, who called the display phenomenal.
GK2002–2015
11
DA
Daniel Amokachi 44 caps (Nigeria) · 13 goals · Club Brugge K.V., EvertonEverton's physio was still checking Paul Rideout in the 1995 FA Cup semi-final when Amokachi put himself on, against Joe Royle's wishes, and scored twice to sink Tottenham 4-1. Olympic gold followed in 1996, with his equaliser in the final against Argentina, on top of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, that FA Cup, and the first goal ever scored in the Champions League, for Club Brugge in November 1992.
SS1990–1999
13
SO
Segun Odegbami 47 caps (Nigeria) · 22 goals · Shooting Stars SCThe terraces called him Mathematical, and on 22 March 1980 at the National Stadium in Lagos he scored in the second minute and again in the 42nd as Nigeria beat Algeria 3-0.
RM1976–1981
14
SK
Stephen Keshi New Nigeria Bank, R.S.C. AnderlechtNigeria conceded three goals in the whole of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, and the defender organising that back line in Tunisia was the captain everyone called Big Boss.
CB1981–1994
15
UO
Uche Okechukwu 46 caps (Nigeria) · Brøndby IF, Fenerbahçe IstanbulIstanbul knew him as Deniz Uygar, the name he took with Turkish citizenship, and Fenerbahçe played him 191 times at centre-back, where he also scored 19 goals.
CB1990–2002
16
Yakubu Aiyegbeni 58 caps (Nigeria) · 21 goals · Maccabi Haifa, MiddlesbroughBlackburn were heading for relegation on 3 December 2011 and Yakubu scored all four in a 4-2 win over Swansea, his second four-goal game in England after the one at Portsmouth in May 2004.
ST2000–2012
Yakubu Aiyegbeni 58 caps (Nigeria) · 21 goals · Maccabi Haifa, MiddlesbroughBlackburn were heading for relegation on 3 December 2011 and Yakubu scored all four in a 4-2 win over Swansea, his second four-goal game in England after the one at Portsmouth in May 2004.
ST2000–2012
17
Joseph Yobo 101 caps (Nigeria) · Standard Liège, EvertonHe played in Brasília on 30 June 2014, captaining Nigeria against France in the last sixteen, and it ended with a late cross turned into his own net and a retirement announced the same evening.
CB2001–2014
Joseph Yobo 101 caps (Nigeria) · Standard Liège, EvertonHe played in Brasília on 30 June 2014, captaining Nigeria against France in the last sixteen, and it ended with a late cross turned into his own net and a retirement announced the same evening.
CB2001–2014
18
Obafemi Martins Inter Milan, Newcastle UnitedSubstitute for the last seven minutes of the 2011 League Cup final, Martins was in the right place when Arsenal's goalkeeper and centre-back collided, and he rolled the loose ball into an empty net, a goal he called the easiest of his career.
ST2004–
Obafemi Martins Inter Milan, Newcastle UnitedSubstitute for the last seven minutes of the 2011 League Cup final, Martins was in the right place when Arsenal's goalkeeper and centre-back collided, and he rolled the loose ball into an empty net, a goal he called the easiest of his career.
ST2004–
19
Taye Taiwo 53 caps (Nigeria) · Olympique de Marseille, FC Dynamo KyivTwenty-five yards, 84th minute, Port Said, 23 January 2006: Taiwo's free kick beat Ghana 1-0 and was Nigeria's first goal of that Africa Cup of Nations.
LB2004–2011
Taye Taiwo 53 caps (Nigeria) · Olympique de Marseille, FC Dynamo KyivTwenty-five yards, 84th minute, Port Said, 23 January 2006: Taiwo's free kick beat Ghana 1-0 and was Nigeria's first goal of that Africa Cup of Nations.
LB2004–2011
21
CB
Celestine Babayaro 27 caps (Nigeria) · R.S.C. Anderlecht, ChelseaHe was 16 years and 86 days old when Anderlecht put him into a Champions League tie against Steaua Bucharest in November 1994, and no younger player appeared in the competition for the next 26 years.
LB1995–2004
23
MA
Mutiu Adepoju 48 caps (Nigeria) · 6 goals · Racing de Santander, Real SociedadNigerian fans called him the Headmaster for what he did in the air, and in Nantes on 13 June 1998 he showed why, rising to head the equaliser against Spain in a group match Nigeria went on to win 3-2.
CM1990–2002
24
TB
Tijani Babangida 36 caps (Nigeria) · 5 goals · Roda JC Kerkrade, VVV-VenloAjax were level with Atlético Madrid deep into extra time at the Vicente Calderón in March 1997 when a deflected pass reached Babangida on the right of the box and he lifted it over the goalkeeper for 3-2 and a place in the semi-finals. Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996 heads his honours, with the 1998 Eredivisie and two KNVB Cups at Ajax, and a brace against South Africa that carried Nigeria to the 2000 Nations Cup final.
LM1994–2004
25
PR
Peter Rufai 65 caps (Nigeria) · Go Ahead Eagles, S.C. FarenseWhen Nigeria won 6-0 against Ethiopia on 24 July 1993, the penalty was taken by the goalkeeper, and Rufai became the first man in Super Eagles gloves to score for his country.
GK1983–1998
27
CN
Chidi Nwanu 20 caps (Nigeria) · K.S.K. Beveren, R.S.C. AnderlechtFoxboro Stadium, 5 July 1994: Nwanu was in the Nigeria back line that held a lead over Italy until the 88th minute, when Roberto Baggio equalised and took the tie to extra time.
RB1988–1997
29
TO
Thompson Oliha 31 caps (Nigeria) · 2 goals · Bendel Insurance, Maccabi Ironi Ashdod
CM1988–1994
30
OO
Ogenyi Onazi SS LazioAged twenty, he held the centre of the Rome derby that settled a cup final on 26 May 2013, the night Senad Lulic scored and Lazio beat Roma 1-0.
CM2012–
31
YS
Yisa Sofoluwe Shooting Stars SC, Abiola BabesNigeria and Egypt could not be separated in the 1984 Nations Cup semi-final in Ivory Coast, and when the shootout stretched to 8-7 Sofoluwe was among the men who kept scoring.
RB1983–1988
32
GO
Godwin Odiye Greek-AmericansOn 12 November 1977 at the National Stadium in Lagos, a cross from the right glanced off Odiye's head and past his own goalkeeper, the only goal of the night against Tunisia, and Nigeria's first World Cup went with it.
CB1976–1980
About this XI
Jay-Jay Okocha tops Nigeria's all-time pool, ahead of Nwankwo Kanu and Rashidi Yekini. The 33 covers 3 goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 14 midfielders and 6 forwards, with sourced senior international careers spanning the 1970s to the 2020s. Pick a formation, drag your eleven onto the pitch, then explore the careers and settle the duels below. Your votes reorder the people's ranking of these 33 in real time.
Who is the greatest Nigeria footballer of all time?
The editorial collection starts with Jay-Jay Okocha. Its first five careers: Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Rashidi Yekini, Finidi George, Sunday Oliseh. The people's ranking on this page moves with every duel vote and can disagree.
How were these 33 Nigeria players chosen?
The collection covers every position across Nigeria's football history. Honours, international records and career achievements inform the editorial order. Each entry opens a career note and its sources. Fan votes in the duels build a separate ranking.
Where can I read about the careers?
Open a player page from the collection to read the career scene, club record and recorded honours. The source links show where the available records come from.
Can I build and share my own Nigeria all-time XI?
Yes. Pick one of 8 formations, place any of the 33 players onto the pitch, and export your lineup as a PNG. There is no account and no sign-up.