World Cup 2018: 5 Nigerian players to watch out for

The Eagles' jersey received a huge amount of sales overseas and the preorders were up to 3 million. Although their jersey is a hit among the masses, Nigeria are nonetheless underdogs. As of 2018, the nation has qualified for six of the last seven FIFA World Cup, reaching the round of 16 thrice.

They are one of the better teams from Africa but when compared to the European nations and some South American teams, Nigeria are still not highly regarded as fierce competitors.

During the international friendlies held in March, Nigeria faced two World Cup sides, Poland and Serbia. The African nation beat the former but lost to the latter. It seems like the team's performance stays rather inconsistent as they drew with DR Congo in late May before losing to England a few days ago.

The game against the Three Lions was a stern test for Nigeria even though it was simply a friendly match. It surely made the head coach, Gernot Rohr, more certain of his choices and the best 23-man squad.

Looking bright and smart in their Naija jersey, there are a few sparks who have performed well on the international stage. In the upcoming World Cup, they could bring further glory to their nation and lead Nigeria to advance through the stages. Here is a look at the five stars to look out for.

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#5 John Obi Mikel

Mikel will continue to be his team's captain

The former Chelsea man is one of the most experienced in the Nigeria football team. As the captain of the team, he has 83 caps to his name and scored six goals since his international senior debut in 2005. Over the decade that he has spent in Chelsea, he was known to be a reliable defensive player but rarely stole the show with his performances. Despite his average showing in the English Premier League, he is regarded as a hero in Nigeria.

Mikel is able to play different roles across the midfield and can at times be deployed to play as a centre-back too. Now at 31 years of age, Mikel plays at Tianjin Teda. The competition in the Chinese Super League is surely not as stiff and demanding as in England. However, it still allows him to remain active on the pitch and make his way into the World Cup squad.

The tall midfielder is proficient with dribbling from midfield. He likes to play through balls and short passes, which allows his team to advance quickly and keep possession. Mikel has been a key player for the Nigeria football team especially during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and 2014 World Cup. The leader will undoubtedly be a source of inspiration for the rest of the players during their games in Russia.

#4 Ahmed Musa

Musa has not been scoring as frequently as he would have liked

The Leicester City forward spent his season on loan at CSKA Moscow. His scoring records have not caught the eye though. Musa had a goal every 223 minutes which is hardly inspiring. That being said, he remains one of the top scorers for Nigeria.

After making his international debut in 2010, Musa has made 71 appearances, scoring 13 goals in the process. It will not be the player's first World Cup as he had previously participated in the 2014 edition.

Musa was even called up to the 30-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but an ankle injury eventually ruled him out of the competition. The last time he scored for his country was back on 1st June 2017. He will have to work an extra mile to find his scoring boots once again during the competition.

Judging from his performances for CSKA Moscow, Musa will add the directness and pace to the attack. He is able to drive the ball forward quickly whenever he has possession and creates lots of problems for defenders.

The 25-year-old may not be the best player on the team but he is one of the more experienced ones and that could make a difference for the Super Eagles.

#3 Kelechi Iheanacho

Iheanacho has the chance to prove himself in the World Cup

Iheanacho was one of the brighter prospects at Manchester City. In his first season at the Etihad Stadium, he emerged as the player with the best goals-per-minute ratio of any player, scoring a goal every 93.9 minutes played. The 21-year-old joined Leicester City last summer and went on to make 21 appearances. However, he scored only three goals in the Premier League campaign for the Foxes and could have done better.

The Nigerian made his debut for the national side in 2015 and has now represented his country 15 times. In the process, the youngster scored 8 goals and is definitely one of the strongest forwards in the squad. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be his first of many in his playing career and he could develop to become Nigeria's future superstar.

According to Squawka, the player has a pass accuracy of 80% and a shot accuracy of 53%. Iheanacho is not strong defensively, but he is a talent when it comes to the attack. Playing for his nation is one of his dreams and in the group stage, he will get to face his idol, Lionel Messi. It will be a great learning opportunity for the rising star of Nigeria.

#2 Victor Moses

Moses is one of the toughest wing-backs that opponents will face

Moses is one of Chelsea's regular starters in the Premier League. He usually plays as a wingback on the right and is often lauded for his work ethic. In the recent match against England, he showed a few skills and left Harry Kane on the deck, much to the delight of the Nigerian fans.

The winger is not tall, but he has a strong physical presence in the game. His upper body strength allows him to fend off tackles from others and keep the ball close within his range. Moses enjoys driving the ball down the flanks and crossing the ball into the box has become part and parcel of his playing life.

The 27-year-old attacks and defends well, making him an almost complete player. His consistent performances for Chelsea and his nation is truly remarkable. When Moses was younger, he played for England at the youth stage. He made the swap and eventually decided to play for Nigeria, making his debut in 2012. Now he has earnt 33 appearances and scored 11 times.

The tough winger should be a starter for his nation in the coming FIFA World Cup and he should be an essential player on the team.

#1 Alex Iwobi

Iwobi is probably the star of the whole Nigeria squad

The Arsenal starlet has had his ups and downs this season and many fans were disappointed with his performances throughout the campaign. Despite an unconvincing Premier League campaign with the Gunners, Iwobi remains a bright star for the Nigerian football team.

Most recently, he scored his nation's only goal against England. His nation had regarded the match against Gareth Southgate's side as a warm-up to the World Cup which is less than two weeks away. Iwobi is one of the stronger and more talented players who played in the match. Without a doubt, he is expected to start in all the group stage matches once the competition kicks off.

Since making his debut in 2015, he scored five goals in 18 games. It will also be his first time that he plays in the FIFA World Cup 2018. He may not have the experience on the international stage, but the 22-year-old has been backed to be a success for Nigeria in Russia.