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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will compete in the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire. Drawn in Group B alongside Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa, they will aim to showcase their talent in the tournament scheduled from 26 April to 18 May, 2025.
Over the years, the U-20 AFCON has been a launchpad for many Super Eagles players, helping them make their mark before progressing to the senior team.
In this piece, Completesports.com’s James Agberebi highlights ten past and present Super Eagles stars who featured in the U-20 AFCON.
Austin Okocha (1993 U-20 AFCON)
Legendary Super Eagles midfielder Austin Okocha was part of the Flying Eagles squad at the 1993 U-20 AFCON in Mauritius. Unfortunately, it was a tournament to forget for Okocha and his teammates as they crashed out in the group stage.
Under the guidance of coach James Peters, the team lost 1-0 to Cameroon in their opener, bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Mauritius, but suffered a 1-0 defeat to Ghana, sealing their early exit.
Okocha quickly overcame the setback, playing a key role as the Super Eagles won the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia. He also featured in Nigeria’s debut FIFA World Cup appearance at USA 1994. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he was instrumental in the Dream Team’s historic gold medal win.
The mercurial midfielder went on to represent Nigeria at the France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002 World Cups, as well as four more AFCON tournaments (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006).
At club level, Okocha played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers, and Hull City.
Taribo West (1993 U-20 AFCON)
Renowned for his defensive prowess, Taribo West was also part of the Flying Eagles squad at the 1993 U-20 AFCON. He featured in all group-stage matches but could not prevent Nigeria’s early exit.
West went on to achieve great success, winning gold with Nigeria’s U-23 team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He represented the Super Eagles at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups and played in three AFCON tournaments (2000, 2002, 2004).
At club level, West won the French Ligue 1 title with Auxerre in 1996 and lifted the UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) with Inter Milan in 1998.
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Nwankwo Kanu (1993 U-20 AFCON)
Like Okocha and Taribo West, Nwankwo Kanu was part of the Flying Eagles squad at the 1993 U-20 AFCON. However, he did not feature in any match during the tournament, which was won by Ghana.
Kanu found redemption later that year as he led the Golden Eaglets to victory at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Japan, scoring five goals. He later captained the U-23 Eagles to Olympic gold in 1996.
The former Arsenal forward made three World Cup appearances (1998, 2002, 2010) and played in six AFCON tournaments (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010).
At club level, Kanu won the UEFA Champions League with Ajax in 1995, the UEFA Cup with Inter Milan in 1998, and multiple Premier League and FA Cup titles with Arsenal. He also lifted the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008.
Joseph Yobo (1999 U-20 AFCON)
Joseph Yobo was a key player for the Flying Eagles as they reached the final of the 1999 U-20 AFCON, finishing as runners-up to Ghana. He also featured at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Nigeria that same year, helping the team reach the quarter-finals.
Yobo went on to have a stellar international career, playing in six AFCON tournaments (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013) and three World Cups (2002, 2010, 2014). He captained Nigeria to AFCON glory in 2013.
At club level, Yobo played for Marseille, Everton, and Fenerbahçe.
Pius Ikedia (1999 U-20 AFCON)
The diminutive winger played a crucial role as Nigeria finished second at the 1999 U-20 AFCON. He later featured at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the 2004 AFCON.
At club level, Ikedia played for Ajax, Groningen, RKC Waalwijk, and Metalurh Donetsk.
Taiwo Awoniyi (2015 U-20 AFCON)
After helping the Golden Eaglets win the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Taiwo Awoniyi was part of the Flying Eagles squad that won the 2015 U-20 AFCON in Senegal.
Awoniyi scored two goals in the group stage as Nigeria secured a record seventh title. He later represented the Super Eagles at the 2021 AFCON.
Currently playing for Nottingham Forest, Awoniyi previously signed for Liverpool in 2015 but spent most of his time on loan before moving to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.
Taye Taiwo (2005 U-20 AFCON)
Taye Taiwo played a vital role as the Flying Eagles won the 2005 U-20 AFCON in Benin Republic under coach Samson Siasia. The left-back scored twice as Nigeria dominated the tournament.
He was also part of the squad that finished second at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands, earning the Adidas Bronze Ball for his outstanding performances.
Taiwo later featured for the Super Eagles at the 2006, 2008, and 2010 AFCON tournaments, as well as the 2010 World Cup.
At club level, he played for Olympique Marseille, AC Milan, QPR, Dynamo Kyiv, and Bursaspor.
Obinna Nsofor (2005 U-20 AFCON)
Obinna Nsofor was instrumental in Nigeria’s triumph at the 2005 U-20 AFCON, scoring twice in the tournament.
He later represented Nigeria at the 2006 AFCON, won silver with the U-23 Eagles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and played in the 2010 World Cup.
At club level, Nsofor played for Inter Milan, Chievo, West Ham United, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Málaga.
Elderson Echiejile (2007 U-20 AFCON)
Echiejile was part of the Flying Eagles squad that reached the final of the 2007 U-20 AFCON but lost 1-0 to Congo. He also featured in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, where Nigeria reached the quarter-finals.
He played a key role in Nigeria’s 2013 AFCON-winning squad and also featured in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.
At club level, he played for Rennes, Braga, Monaco, Standard Liège, Sporting Gijón, and Cercle Brugge.
Shehu Abdullahi (2013 U-20 AFCON)
Shehu Abdullahi played in the 2013 U-20 AFCON, where Nigeria finished third. He later helped the home-based Super Eagles secure a bronze medal at the 2014 CHAN and was part of the U-23 team that won bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
He represented Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup and the 2019 AFCON.
At club level, he played for Anorthosis, Omonia, Bursaspor, and União da Madeira before returning to the NPFL with Kano Pillars.
