Sports
Nigeria’s Dream Team: Truth Or Fallacy?
Since after the Nigerian U-
23 team won the gold medal of the football event of the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games, the team’s official designation has since changed to “Dream Team’’.
The team at that time had the very best of the nation’s football talents in its ranks, players like Nwankwo Kanu, Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Taribo West, Uche Okechukwu among others were some of the stars that made up the team.
This array of talented footballers literally took the football world by storm by overcoming very stiff and highly talented opposition like Brazil and Argentina to win the much coveted gold medal in the quadrennial global sports fiesta.
It is pertinent to note that the team’s victory was the first time an African country was winning the Olympic soccer gold medal.
The name, “Dream Team”, that was eventually adopted by the all conquering U-23 team, did not drop from the sky, it was a recourse to the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games where actually the concept was first used.
The original Dream Team, the U.S. basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona was a phenomenon on and off the court.
It mattered not that it dominated the Olympic competition, beating its eight opponents by an average of 44 points.
What was important was that the Dream Team, the first U.S. Olympic team to include NBA stars, gave fans a glimpse of basketball at its finest, and the entire world responded.
The team had three of the game’s all-time greats: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
The team also had the irrepressible Charles Barkley, as well as seven more NBA All-Stars: centers David Robinson and Patrick Ewing, power forward Karl Malone, swingmen Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin and Clyde Drexler and point guard John Stockton.
Their coach, Chuck Daly, was so overwhelmed by the array of mega talents at his disposal and described the team thus: “It was, like Elvis Presley and the Beatles put together.
“Traveling with the Dream Team was like travelling with 12 rock stars.
“That’s all I can compare it to,’’ he said.
The team was described as an unplayable team because opponents didn’t have a chance, but they didn’t care.
It was even reported that one player, while trying to guard Magic Johnson, was seen frantically waving to a camera-wielding teammate on the bench, signaling to make sure he got a picture of them together.
Since their advent in the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, the succession of U.S. basketball “Dream Team’’ have gone on to win the basketball events of the Atlanta1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and the 2012 London Olympics where Nigeria’s D’Tigers were crushed by a whopping score line of 156-73 in one of their outings.
The poignant question to ask at this juncture is whether the Nigerian Dream Team has lived up to its billing in terms of performance and reputation wise.
Since their epochal victory at the Atlanta ’96 Olympics, the closest the U-23 team has come to winning another gold medal was the silver medal that the Samson Siasia-tutored side won at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Since then the team had performed epileptically and not making the kind of impact that was expected of a team with such a name.
A development that made one of the nation’s renowned TV sports analyst, Kayode Tijani, to say that the U-23 team is not qualified to be called the “Dream Team’’.
“They are not qualified to bear the name Dream Team.
“We only named the victorious U-23 team, Dream Team after we won the gold medal at the football event of the Atlanta ’96 Olympics.
“Even the players themselves did not believe that they will win the competition, and the goalkeeper Joseph Dosu, said that at half time against Brazil, the players were more concerned about damage control.
“The players were more concerned about the reaction of the nation’s teeming fans and did not believe that they will turn the table against the Brazilian team that had the likes of Ronaldo da Lima, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Dida etc.
“To me, what qualifies the U-23 to be called a Dream Team is to perform consistently like the American Olympics basketball team, the original Dream Team that has been consistently consistent performance wise,’’ he said.
In the same vein, a member of the victorious Green Eagles squad that won the 1980 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos, Adokiye Amiesimaka said it’s a neither here nor there issue.
“You give yourself the name you want which you are entitled to, and I see it as an ego thing.
“But if others should name you according to their assessment, it will be a more realistic name that they will give to you.
“We can call ourselves whatever we want, it’s a neither here nor there thing.’’
There was a time when the Super Eagles were not performing well and fans started calling them the Super Chickens; but they are still known as the Super Eagles.
“As a matter of fact, our national team used to be known as the Green Eagles before our late Vice-President, Augustus Aikhomu, renamed the team Super Eagles after the team’s remarkable performance at the Maroc ’88 edition of the AFCON.
“Like I said earlier, self-assessment is not a realistic task, it’s more of an ego thing,’’the former AFCON winner said.
In spite of the misgivings by Amiesimaka and Tijani, a renowned football on air analyst, Eseoghene Edafe, was of the view that the current U-23 team can be rightly called the Dream Team VI.
He stressed that a world renowned team like the Selecao of Brazil have not been able to win the football event of the Olympic Games compared to the nation’s U-23 team that has a gold and silver medal in their kitty.
Edafe added that it will be unfair to compare the U-23 team to the famed U.S. basketball team that has all it takes to sweep every team out of their path since basketball was their forte, compared to the U-23 team that had succeeded where more illustrious teams have failed.
“Our football team is not even ranked in the top 50 of FIFA’s monthly football ranking, but yet the Nigerian U-23 team has won a gold and silver medal in the Olympic Games, compared to the Brazilians that have won the World Cup, Copa America, and FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
“But in all their achievements, they don’t have an Olympic gold medal in their trophy cabinet.
“You may not agree with me in terms of comparing our U-23 team and the U.S. basketball team in terms of consistency, but I feel our team has done well to be called the Dream Team VI,’’ Edafe said. With the nation’s qualification for the football event of the 2015 All Africa Games and the qualifiers for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games looming on the horizon, the nation’s current “Dream Team’’ is poised to prove that they deserve to be called Dream Team VI.
The Siasia-tutored side had to battle against the odds to eke out a 2-1 win over the hard fighting Zambians in Lusaka on April 12.
With Siasia at the helm again, the nation’s football fans are guardedly optimistic that the team is once more on the threshold of making Olympic football history by winning a second gold medal.
Okara is a staff of News Agency of Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi began his 2026 season with victory at the Orlen Cup in ?ód?, producing a dominant 20.82m throw to win the men’s shot put at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting in Poland, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Africa record holder finished ahead of Romania’s Andrei Toader, who placed second with 20.55m, while Serbia’s Armin Sinan?evi? took third on 19.93m.
Poland’s Szymon Mazur, the best-placed home athlete, finished fourth with 19.69m, with Italy’s Nick Ponzio completing the top five on 19.58m.
The rest of the field was headed by Piotr Go?dziewicz (18.02m), Jakub Korejba (17.55m), Wojciech Marok (17.48m), Damian Rodziak (17.23m) and Ukraine’s Maksym Lebediuk (15.75m).
Enekwechi’s winning mark gave him a clear margin over the field and underlined his status as one of world’s leading throwers, as he laid down an early marker for the new campaign in his traditional season-opening competition.
The result also marked an improvement shift in his Orlen Cup history. This was his third consecutive appearance at the meeting and his third straight season opener with the event, having previously finished second in 2024 with 21.14m and again in 2025 with 20.88m.
On this occasion, he converted consistency into victory, finally standing on the top step of the podium in ?ód?.
Enekwechi is the reigning two-time African champion in the shot put, a silver medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a two-time African Games champion, having won titles in 2019 and 2023.
His performance in Poland continues a career trajectory that has established him as Nigeria’s leading figure in the event and one of the continent’s most reliable performers on the global circuit.
The women’s competition at the meeting was won by Poland’s Zuzanna Ma?lana.
With the 2026 season now under way, Enekwechi’s opening victory at the Orlen Cup sets an early tone for the year ahead, as he builds momentum towards major continental and international championships.
The next edition of the Orlen Cup is scheduled to take place in ?ód? in February 2027.
Tanzanian giants Simba have opened discussions over a potential move for Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali as they look to reinforce their squad following an injury to first-choice shot-stopper Moussa Camara, Tidesports source reports.
The 29-year-old, who plays for South Africa Premiership side Chippa United, is in the final six months of his contract and is eligible to enter pre-contract negotiations with foreign clubs.
Foot Africa reported that Simba are exploring the possibility of bringing Nwabali to Dar es Salaam either during the current window or on a free transfer at the end of the season, although no agreement has been reached.
“Sources have indicated that Simba are in active talks with the player’s camp in a bid to lure him to Dar es Salaam in the ongoing window or on a free transfer – but no agreement reached,” Foot Africa reported.
Simba’s interest has been accelerated by Camara’s knee injury, which prompted the club to move quickly to sign Mahamadou Tanja Kassila from Niger’s AS FAN.
The club are reportedly considering deregistering Camara to accommodate the new foreign signing, a situation that has frustrated the Guinea international, who has asked for the remaining six months of his contract to be terminated.
In their search for a longer-term solution, Simba identified Nwabali as a prime target, although formal negotiations with his club have yet to begin.
“Simba identified Nwabali as the ideal successor to Camara, but the club is yet to submit a formal bid to Chippa United, who are open to offers,” Foot Africa added.
Nwabali’s profile has continued to rise following his performances for Nigeria, most notably at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he kept four clean sheets in seven matches as the Super Eagles secured a bronze medal.
Oyo State is set to return to the continental football spotlight as it prepares to host Nigeria’s Falconets in a crucial 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying match against Senegal’s Lioness of Teranga.
The highly anticipated encounter is scheduled for Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan. The Oyo State Government said the state was selected for the fixture following its successful hosting of a previous Falconets’ qualifier, further underlining its growing profile as a destination for international sporting events.
In a statement on Monday Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, confirmed that preparations were in top gear to ensure a hitch-free match. She said the choice of Oyo State as host was a reflection of confidence in the state’s sporting infrastructure, organisational competence and security architecture.
She recalled the emphatic victory recorded by the Falconets against Rwanda at the same venue last year, describing the match as a testament to the state’s readiness to stage major sporting events.
“The successful hosting of the Falconets against Rwanda showcased Oyo State’s world-class facilities and our capacity to organise international fixtures that meet global standards,” Adegoke said. “The Lekan Salami Stadium has continued to serve as a fortress for our national teams, and we are confident the Falconets will once again make the nation proud.”
Adegoke also disclosed that the Falconets are expected to arrive in Ibadan today ahead of the qualifier, to allow ample time for acclimatisation and final preparations. She added that the team would enjoy full logistical support from the state throughout their stay.
The Falconets, who reached the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Japan 14 years ago, will go into the last round of the qualifying series if they win this encounter, to confront the winner of the Guinea-Bissau/Malawi fixture, for one of Africa’s four tickets at the final tournament.
The 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals will be staged in Poland, from September 5 to 27, 2026.