Nigeria have failed to impress in Russia, but we should hardly be worried about their on-field exploits. The country’s systemic issues are much more pressing.
“Nigerians on Sunday expressed optimism that the Eagles will win the remaining matches in Group D,” read the opening line to an article on The Guardian, a trusted Nigerian news outlet. The sentence evokes a peachy sense of optimism, but we begin to peel back the layers of a nasty-smelling onion the further we read. A former chairman said “the team was a work in progress…an assembly of average young players that are struggling in their various clubs.” It is a feature, from my understanding, representative of the issues plaguing Nigerian football in recent years. Unabashed confidence in the Super Eagles overlapping the consistent threat of inferiority.
Some have argued the Brazilians watch football to quench their hunger for victory, for dominance. The English, we believe, watch football for the love of the game. It could be said that the Nigerians watch football for a combination of the two: a desire not only to win but to have fun as well. It’s why nearly 100% of all Nigerian households with a TV were tuned into an important World Cup qualifying match last year. It’s also why Nigerians remain positive in the face of failure; if they don’t make it out of the group, a great shame has been bestowed upon the nation’s sporting base.
Yet for all the hype — the Nike kit release, the vibrant array of young talent — Nigeria have fallen flat in Russia. A bland performance against Croatia didn’t quite cut it. Coming up against Iceland, the expectation is yet another poor attacking performance. But it is difficult to avoid being caught up in the spirit of the Nigerian fan. Something about being Africa’s global power bestows a sort of footballing manifest destiny upon the Super Eagles; Nigerians rightfully believe that dominance on the African continent should be a given. Yet, the team has rarely lived up to this expectation.