The Nigeria national football team, known as the Super Eagles, is one of the leading African international football teams. A good goalkeeper is necessary for success at international level and Nigeria have had some fantastic goalkeepers, as you will see below. The current number one is Francis Uzoho and if you think he can lead the Super Eagles to success, you can use a 1XBET promo code to back them in upcoming tournaments.
Peter Rufai
For many Nigerian football fans, Peter Rufai is the greatest goalkeeper of all time. Having lifted the 1982 Nigeria FA Cup with Stationary Stores and played for Dragons de l’Oueme, reaching the semi-finals of the 1987 African Cup Winners Cup, Rufai moved to Europe. Rufai played 65 times for Nigerian national team, winning the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia and playing at the 1994 and 1998 World Cup finals. Rufai even managed to score a goal, netting from the penalty spot in a CAN qualifying match against Ethiopia.
Vincent Enyeama
Having won three Nigerian national league titles in succession with Enyimba International FC, Vincent Enyeama represented his country at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, keeping a clean sheet in a group match against England. Following that tournament with Nigeria, Enyeama helped Enyimba International FC win the CAF Champions League twice before moving to Israel and then France, where he played over 140 times for Lille. Enyeama has 101 caps for Nigeria, during which he won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and only Ahmed Musa has more caps for the Super Eagles.
Best Ogedengbe
During the late 1970s and early 1980s Shooting Stars F.C. were one of the most feared teams in African football and that was largely thanks to the presence of Best Ogedengbe in goal. The goalkeeper played most of his career for Shooting Stars F.C. and had a leading role in landing the African Cup Winners Cup in 1976, which was Nigeria’s first continental trophy. Ogedengbe was the Nigerian number one when they won the 1980 African Cup of Nations and represented his country at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
Emmanuel Okala
Interestingly, Emmanuel Okala started his football career as a striker but switched to goalkeeper when playing for Onitsha Red Devils. Okala joined Enugu Rangers in 1971 and a call-up to the national team arrived shortly after. Okala played for Nigeria in the first match at the newly constructed National Stadium in Lagos and won the Footballer of The Year Award in 1978, the only goalkeeper to pick up the award. Okala was part of the successful 1980 African Cup of Nations squad before his retirement in the same year.
Sam Ibiam
It is claimed that Sam Ibiam conceded only 5 goals during his nine year Nigerian international career, having represented his country many times. Ibiam is regarded as a pioneer of Nigerian football having been the part of the team that became known as the “1949 UK Tourists”. Ibiam kept a clean sheet in Nigeria’s first official match against Sierra Leone in Freetown in 1949. Ibiam became known as the ‘The Black Magnet’ due to the fact he made so many saves and the ball was attracted to his hands.
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