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#4 Nigeria
The Super Eagles as the Nigerian national team is known will be making its sixth appearance at the World Cup since it first qualified in 1994.
The West Africans were the first African team to qualify for the World Cup with a near perfect record of four wins and a draw in five matches comfortably displacing reigning AFCON champions Cameroon & pre-qualification favourites Algeria.
Led by German coach Gernot Rohr, the Eagles have been impressive since the team failed to qualify for both the last World Cup in Brazil and the last edition of the AFCON.
Out have gone some of the old players like Emmanuel Emenike while the country’s FA, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has embarked on a scouting tour that has seen the country poach dual nationality players from European club sides.
In have come players like Alex Iwobi (Arsenal player eligible for England), Olaoluwa Aina (England) Leon Balogun (Germany), Tyrone Ebuehi (Netherlands), William Troost-Ekong (Netherlands) and many others.
The infusion of these youngsters alongside established senior pros like Victor Moses (Chelsea), Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco but on loan at Sivasspor), captain John Mikel-Obi and others have given the team the perfect blend of youth and experience allied with skill and passion.
The Nigerian team now relies on a cohesive setup that would prove difficult to break down in Russia and can rely on terrific pace down the flanks and the predatory finishing of players like Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) to finish off teams.
If they can avoid the old off-field issues of infighting, poor planning, lack of funds and disorganization, do not be surprised to see the Eagles soar all the way to Moscow come July 2018.
