Nigeria 1994: Where are they today?

DF Stephen Keshi
He is one of only two people, along with Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary, to have won the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a coach. Keshi became coach of the Nigerian National Team in 2011. He led Nigeria to qualification for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which they went on to win. The following day Keshi handed in his resignation, only to reverse his decision the day after. Keshi led Nigeria to the 2013 Confederations Cup, defeated Tahiti6-1, and lost 1-2 to Uruguay in the second game, and also lost 0-3 to World Cup winners, Spain in their final group game.

DF Uche Okechukwu
“Uche” is a nickname for the Igbo name “Uchechukwu” (meaning “God´s will”). He was also honored as the foreign player who played in Turkey for the longest period of time (13 years), going on to obtain Turkish citizenship under the name Deniz Uygar. He has taken a backseat in the game but occasionally comes out in the media with strong views on the course of action for Nigerian football.

DF Chidi Nwanu
He won 20 caps for his country, and was part of the squads for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is now a pastor in Antwerp, Belgium.

FW Finidi George
Finidi represented Nigeria in two FIFA World Cups, 1994 and 1998. In the former, held in the United States, as the national team won its group and exited in the round-of-16against eventual finalists Italy, he scored against Greece in a 2–0 win, proceeding to mimick a urinating dog whilst celebrating. In the 1998 tournament in France, Finidi also played in all the matches, with Nigeria meeting the same fate, at the hands of Denmark.

He had already vowed to quit international football prior to the competition, and gained a total of 62 caps. Former Nigerian international Finidi George was been appointed the coach of the U-16 side at his former club Real Mallorca of Spain in June this year.

MD Oliha Thompson
Oliha made a total of 31 appearances for the full Nigeria national football team, scoring two goals. He made his international debut in 1990, in a game against Senegal and made his last appearance at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, as a late substitute against Italy. Oliha died due to complications from malaria on 30 June 2013. At the time of his passing he was an assistant coach for the Kwara Football Academy.

FW Rashidi Yekini
Scoring 37 goals for Nigeria in 58 appearances, Yekini was the national record goalscorer and third all-time highest goal scorer in the history of African Cup of Nations after Samuel Eto Fils of Cameroun and Laurent Pokou of Ivory Coast, Scoring thirteen goals in all competitions. He was part of the team that participated in the 1994 (where he netted Nigeria’s first-ever goal in a World Cup, in a 3–0 win against Bulgaria, his celebration after netting becoming one of the iconic images of the tournament) and the 1998 FIFA World Cups. Yekini was reported to be ill for an extended period of time.

In 2011, news media in Nigeria begun issuing reports of his failing health, and he was said to suffer from bipolar disorder, depression and some other undisclosed neurological condition. He died in Ibadan on 4 May 2012 at the age of only 48, the news being confirmed by former national teammatesMutiu Adepoju and Ike Shorunmu.

MD Augustine Okocha
Okocha never won the African Player of Year award, becoming arguably the best player never to win the award despite coming second twice in 1998 and 2004. He did however win the inaugural BBC African Footballer of the Year and the successive one, becoming the only player to retain the award and win it more than once. In 2004 he was listed in football legend Pelé’s FIFA 100 (a list of the greatest 125 living players of all time).

In 2007 he was voted number 12 on the greatest African footballers of the past 50 years list, on a poll conducted by CAF to coincide with their 50th anniversary. Okocha has appeared in commercials for Pepsi, Samsung, V-Mobile and B-29 (Nigerian washing soap powder). He released a DVD in 2004 titled Superskills with Jay-Jay, where he taught difficult tricks to children. He also briefly promoted his own brand of water named Jay-Jay during the late 1990s. He also owns a bar in Victoria Island, Lagos named Number 10 (his jersey number). He is an pundit and businessman.

FW Emmanuel Amunike
Amuneke played 27 times for Nigeria, scoring nine goals. He was part of the team that participated at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, a first-ever for the African country, scoring against Bulgaria (3–0 group stage win) and Italy (1–2 round of 16 loss); also in that year, he helped the Super Eagles win the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, eventually being voted African Footballer of the Year. Additionally, Amuneked played all the games at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, as the national team won the gold medal. Knee problems kept him out of the 1998 World Cup. He is now an assistant coach with the U-17 national team.

MD Samson Siasia
He played 51 international matches for Nigeria, in which he scored thirteen goals, and was part of the team that participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and won the 1994 African Nations Cup. He was also a member of the Nigerian team that won bronze at 1992 African Nations Cup in Senegal.

He participated in the National Team over a period of 11 years and was recognized in Nigeria as the third leading scorer for the National Team. Formerly Nigeria’s coach before Keshi was appointed, Siasia is now running an academy Bayelsa State.

DF Emeka Ezeugo
He first played for Nigeria at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Nicknamed “Emmy”, he obtained 11 caps for the national team between 1992 and 1994, and was a member of the team that competed at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. On 31 October 2013, he was named the head coach of the newly-promoted Nigeria Premier League team Abia Warriors.

FW Daniel Amokachi
He played many international matches for Nigeria, and was part of the team that participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and 1998 FIFA World Cup and won the 1994 African Nations Cup. He also helped win the Olympic gold medal in 1996, scoring in the Gold Medal game itself against Argentina. Amokachi sustained an injury just ahead of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, played one game, but struggled with knee problems thereafter. On 10 April 2008 Amokachi was re-appointed to Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, as assistant coach to Shuaibu Amodu, also being assistant manager to Stephen Keshi.

MD Sunday Oliseh
Oliseh played 63 international matches and scored four goals for Nigeria, and played at the Football World Cups of 1994and 1998. Oliseh also participated in the Olympic gold medal winning team of 1996. He is mostly remembered for scoring the winning goal in the group stage match against Spain in the 1998 World Cup, as Nigeria prevailed 3–2. A throw-in deep in the Spanish half was headed clear by a defender – Oliseh ran and fired an explosive shot from 25 yards and took Spanish goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta completely by surprise. Oliseh is now a member of the Fifa Technical Study Group. He lives in Belgium.

GK Alloysius Agu
He was brought to the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1994 African Nations Cup as a cover for Peter Rufai. Agu retired at the age of 30, after having spent most of his career in Africa. He has served as the goalkeepeing coach for Enyimba and in April 2008 was named goalkeeper coach for the national team. He is currently assistant coach of the U-20 team.

FW Victor Ikpeba
Ikpeba played thirty-one international matches and scored seven goals for Nigeria. He played at the FIFA World Cups in1994 and 1998. Ikpeba helped win the 1994 African Nations Cup and the Olympic football gold medal in 1996. Ikpeba now lives in Monaco with his three children. His wife Atinuke died in May 2000 at the age of 26, after losing her battle with breast cancer. Ikpeba is now into punditry.

FW Efan Ekoku
During his club career, he played for Merton FC, Sutton United, Bournemouth, Norwich City, Wimbledon,Grasshopper, Sheffield Wednesday and Dublin City. He began his professional career in 1990 when he signed for Harry Redknapp’s Bournemouth, who had just been relegated to the Third Division. His start in the Football League was unspectacular, as he managed just 20 games and three goals during the 1990–91 season for a Cherries side who finished mid table. He did better in 1991–92, scoring 11 goals in 28 league games. He managed seven goals from 14 games in 1992–93 before a £500,000 move to Norwich City on 26 March 1993 took him to the Premier League. He currently works as a colour commentator for Premier League Productions, which produces the world feed commentaries. He was picked to be Match Analyst for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, working for ESPN. In 2013 he appeared as a pundit for the BBC’s coverage of the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

DF Michael Emenalo
Emenalo won 14 caps for Nigeria and played in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, missing the first game through injury but then played against Argentina and Greece before Nigeria were knocked out by Italy. He joined Chelsea when former manager Avram Grant was in charge in 2007. After the departure of Ray Wilkins, Emenalo was promoted from his position as chief scout to assistant first team coach on 18 November 2010. On 8 July 2011, Chelsea appointed Emenalo Technical Director. His responsibilities include heading the scouting and academy programs. On Monday 10th June, he formally requested that his contract be terminated. His request for termination was denied.

FW Uche Okafor
Okafor played every match when Nigeria won the 1994 African Cup of Nations, but sustained an ankle injury shortly thereafter. He was part of the squad to the 1994 World Cup but did not get any playing time. He played 1 out of their 4 games in the 1998 World Cup, though, as well as at the 1988 Olympics. In January 2011, Okafor’s body was discovered by his wife in their house in Little Elm, a town about 30 miles northwest of Dallas. Uche was found hanging at his home, but it has never been clear whether it was a suicide or not.

MD Mutiu Adepoju
Nicknamed “The Headmaster”, he played most of his career in Spain – amassing La Liga totals of 175 games and 22 goals over the course of seven seasons – and represented his country in three World Cups. Mutiu was a member of the Nigerian team that played in the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship. His brace against the United States (which featured Kasey Keller in goal) in the semifinals ensured a final against star-studded Portugal, in a 0–2 defeat. He went on to collect 54 international full caps, with five goals. He made his debut against Togo in August 1990. Adepoju was part of the squads for the FIFA World Cups in 1994, 1998 – scoring in a 3–2 win against Spain – and 2002 (although he did not play in the latter tournament). Adepoju is now the CEO of Lagos International Football Tournament (LIFT). He has embarked on plans to build a world class soccer academy in Lagos.

GK Wilfred Agbonavbare
Agbonavbare played for more than one decade with the full side, being selected for the 1994 African Cup of Nations and that year’s FIFA World Cup, backing upPeter Rufai on both occasions. He has lived in Spain since 1990. He leads a quiet life.