Sports

Is Enyeama World Class Keeper?

Published

12 years ago

December 6, 2013

The Lille keeper has em
barked on a remarkable run of form and currently stands on the cusp of breaking a French defensive record that has stood for eleven years.
As a result, his profile, both within Europe and beyond, has increased greatly. Many have heard of the name or been vaguely aware of his standing, but only now are people beginning to speak of Enyeama with the breathless ecstasy and splurging excitement typically reserved for the profession’s elite.
Does Enyeama deserve to be considered as ‘World Class’.
To begin with, it is important that I present my definition of World Class; this is a term that is often bandied around and thrown into hypothetical discourse, perhaps without the clarification and attention it deserves. I think that the majority agree that the term means, vaguely, “ranking among the best or foremost in the world” but that alone is not sufficient explanation.
Are all professional footballers, the paid minority among a globe of aspiring hopefuls, world class? Are all international players, those who represent their nation in the global arena, world class? Are those who win trophies or make the finals the foremost in the sport? Clearly, there is an ambiguity here.
I define a World Class footballer as one who would stand out or excel consistently in the most rarefied of fixtures, those that pit the world’s finest teams together, i.e. the semi-finals, maybe even the quarter-finals, of a Champions League or World Cup. Again, there are some vague terms here, but it is, at least, a start.
When considering a player’s standing, I ask myself, “How would they perform at this elite end of competition, within the context of the world’s best?”
So, how does Enyeama stand against this qualification?
The immediate, simplistic and disappointing answer, is that we are not quite in a position to make a judgement just yet.
Over the last 12 months, Enyeama has not played against the kind of elite opponents that would populate the business end of major tournaments. He did not concede against a second-string Italian side in a recent international friendly having replaced Austin Ejide in the second half.
High-profile Ligue 1 games against Marseille and Monaco have come and gone and his goal has remained sacrosanct, but none of these opponents, as teams go, are among the world’s finest. The evidence to judge, effectively, whether Enyeama would thrive regularly against the world’s greatest, simply does not exist.
We can only speculate.
Speculation, however, begins to paint a picture of a very established keeper approaching the pinnacle of his profession.
He currently stands 142 minutes away from breaking Gaetan Huard’s record of 1,176 minutes without conceding a goal, a truly remarkable feat.
The likes of Fabien Barthez, Bernard Lama, Hugo Lloris, Greg Coupet and, recently, Salvatore Sirigu have all featured in the intervening years without breaking the record, and yet here, Nigeria’s Enyeama stands on the brink of doing just that.
It is worth adding, as well, that many of these other stoppers stood behind exceptionally celebrated defences, while Lille, despite possessing some fine talents, recently lost Aurelien Chedjou, who was such an imposing force for them last season.
Even though Marseille and Monaco are not currently competing in the business end of the Champions League, both possess exceptional forwards that were unable to find Enyeama’s net.
Falcao, who certainly is World Class, was persistently frustrated when the sides met in early November, while Mathieu Valbuena, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Jordan Ayew were unable to bypass the Nigerian.
If Enyeama is to take Huard’s record, he will need to remain resolute (for 52 minutes at least) when the dual terrors of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani seek to undermine him on December 22. If he can do that, then immortality awaits.
Enyeama has not quite been as outstanding for Nigeria over 2013, and while it is easy to remember the highs, particularly his referee-lifting escapades after Nigeria secured the continental title in February, the lows ought not to be forgotten.
A lapse in concentration saw Enyeama calamitously carry the ball over his own goal line in the first leg of the World Cup play-off against Ethiopia, a blunder that could have proved to be disastrous had Emmanuel Emenike not atoned with a brace.
Similarly, his fumble against Liberia during qualification for the 2013 Afcon, and his complacency against Uruguay in the Confederations Cup would have proved more memorable in different surroundings.
Despite this, the positives certainly seem to outweigh the negatives for Enyeama, so much so that Austin Ejide remains, firmly, the team’s reserve keeper.
Enyeama clearly brings a lot to the team and to the squad. He deserves great credit for his expert management and organisation of the young central defenders (Godfrey Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo) that protected his net during the African Cup of Nations. The two might be talented, but along with Efe Ambrose who was shunted out to right-back, they were a potentially uncertain unit.
Beyond being an established organiser on the pitch, he is also an experienced head off it, and I imagine he is a valuable influence upon and a confident example for the many young Super Eagles that regularly populate Nigeria’s vestiaire.
I would conclude by arguing that even though Enyeama has proved himself to be a fine goalkeeper and an excellent on-field manager, it is too early to identify him as ‘World Class’.
Should Lille, who currently sit in second place in Ligue 1, qualify for the Champions League next season, we may be in a position to assess Enyeama’s performances against the world’s finest. Up to now, he has spent too much of his career away from the top end of the sport and subsequently, hasn’t been testing himself, regularly, against the game’s finest forwards.
Next summer’s World Cup provides the former Hapoel Tel Aviv man with a fine platform upon which to demonstrate his prowess.
If he can replicate his stunning showing against Lionel Messi and Argentina in 2010 then maybe the broader footballing public will begin to see Enyeama as one of the globe’s elite stoppers.
Dove writes for kickoff nigeria.com.

Enyeama in action.

Sports

Arsenal must win trophies to leave legacy – Arteta

Published

5 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.

Arsenal headede into last night’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a five-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points against Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, respectively on Wednesday.

Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games.

But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.

“No, because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners.

“They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”

The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup

“There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.

“Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.

The defending champions headed to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain a superb side.

The Gunners were without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but were“monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensified his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.

Sports

AFCON: Osimhen, Lookman Threaten Algeria’s Record

Published

5 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.

Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh tomorrow will not be easy.

Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.

Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.

He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.

“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.

Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.

Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.

“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.

“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.

Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home. But the current Super Eagles appear to be in the mood to get this one over the Algerians.

The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.

Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.

But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four, the most among the eight title hopefuls.

Sports

Palace ready To Sell Guehi For Right Price

Published

5 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said that the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met.

The England defender is out of contract in the summer and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window.

Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.

City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea.

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by Tidesports source. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”