TheCable

Nobody expected it.

“Black kids were not supposed to beat white kids,” Dele Giwa wrote in Newswatch of August 26, 1985.

But the Baby Eagles (later christened the World Golden Eaglets by the head of state Muhammadu Buhari), did just that after winning the inaugural edition of the FIFA/KODAK U-16 World Cup in China.

On August 11, 1985, the team defeated West Germany in the 80, 000-capacity Beijing Stadium.

And 30 years after the triumph two members of the team – Nduka Ugbade and Imama Amapakabo – spoke about their feat in China.

Amapakabo, the current technical adviser of Enugu Rangers, shared his thoughts with TheCable.

How did the team prepare for the tournament?

We stayed in the famous games village in Surulere and trained most times at the Eagle Oil’s field as well as the National Stadium.

How helpful was the involvement of YSFON to the success of the team?

YSFON was the backbone of that success. Ironically, most of us had travelled with YSFON for one tournament or the other before going to China for the championship.

So, China was not really an eye-opener in experiencing an international competition. But did your first two opponents Italy and Saudi Arabia surprise the team?

I think the reverse was the case. I guess we surprised them.

How did this triumph impact on your career?

It has no way impacted on my life or career. As an individual, I feel blessed and honoured to be amongst the 18 players picked for the tournament. But I feel sad that in terms of rewards from the nation we got nothing.

But what we’re your expectations?

In terms of what if I may understand your question?

You said you got nothing in terms of reward.

Yeah, empty promises were all we had. And not even national honours that the ones that came after us got.

The government said the players were too young to be given cash reward. So they came up with shares and national honour. Streets were named after the players too. Also, scholarship to further your education were said to be provided.

Shares that amounted to N10, 000 by 1999? How many of the players had streets named after them? Where was the scholarship? All na wash! Please, do your findings and ask what happened to the N1,000  worth of CBN shares.

Amapakabo (second right)

Ugbade is in the history books as the first captain to lift the trophy. He shares his memories with FIFA.com.

“We had the desire to do well, but we did not expect to win. Seeing all the big teams participating in the competition and playing in stadiums filled with 80,000 people was something we did not expect. Of course, we had heard of FIFA and seen the World Cup on television, but the magnitude of the competition was not known to us until we got to China.”

Some 27 years later, Ugbade had an opportunity to again experience glory in the competition, when he assisted Manu Garba as the Golden Eaglets won their fourth title, beating Mexico 3-0 in the final played in Abu Dhabi. And to him, being part of the set-up again showed him just how different times were.

“Back then it was about making a name for ourselves and representing the country, but for the players today there are different aspects. The level of poverty is high now, and what drives most of the youths is the desire to play well, win and be signed by big clubs all over the world. At the end of the day, they want to make it [professionally] so that their lives can be changed.”

Ugbade scoffs at the idea that he is bitter about playing in a time when players were rewarded with small scholarships instead of receiving lucrative contracts.

“I can’t be disappointed because that is what it was for our time. The time we live in now is totally different. If I say I am disappointed, what about the likes of legends like Christian Chukwu and Segun Odegbami and the rest? They played great football in the past – among the best the country has produced, yet they had no opportunity to make money. What they received for playing in the national team was a name.”

For Ugbade, winning the World Cup was a highlight of his life, though it did not bring riches. In fact, he and his team-mates are still trying to get officials to live up to promises they made to the players after the 2-0 victory in the final against Germany.

“But it changed my life in that I became very popular and today I can enter anywhere and I am known by Nigerians and wherever I go all over Africa, whenever I am introduced, people listen to me.”

Ugbade is still disappointed that he was never able to play in the senior World Cup.

“I played in the qualifying matches for the 1994 World Cup and came on as a substitute in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 when we beat Zambia. But when the squad for USA 1994 was announced, I was not selected. I don’t know what happened. I am still asking until this very day, though I have put it behind me. I have tried to forgive and forget though I felt very bad for years. That would have been an opportunity to make it totally big. If I had played for even just one minute. I would have gotten a bigger club and a better deal.”

He has tried to continue to stay involved in the game, however.

“I found out later that the World Cup will always continue, that if you don’t go as a player someday you can maybe participate as a coach, and I am on that path.”

THE RESULTS

Group stage

July 31, 1985

Nigeria 1-0 Italy

Goal: Momoh 67′

August 2, 1985

Saudi Arabia 0-0 Nigeria

August 4, 1985

Costa Rica 0-3 Nigeria

Goals: Igbinoba 62′

Momoh 70′

Babatunde 72′

Quarterfinal

August 7, 1985

Hungary 1-3 Nigeria

Goals: Momoh 17′, 58′

Igbinoba 60′

Semi-final

August 9, 1985

Nigeria 1-1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 pen.) Guinea

Goal: Atere 10′

Final

August 11, 1985

West Germany                 0-2 Nigeria

Goals: Akpoborie 4′

Igbinoba 79′

THE SQUAD

1              GK          Lucky Agbonsevbafe

2              DF           Duere Tuenwonrimi

3              DF           Nduka Ugbade

4              DF           Fatai Atere

5              DF           Binaebi Numa

6              MF         Kingsley Aikhionbare

7              MF         Salisu Nakade

8              MF         Sani Adamu

9              FW         Jonathan Akpoborie

10           FW         Victor Igbinoba

11           FW         Bella Momoh

12           GK          Imama Amapakabo

13           DF           Baldwin Bazuaye

14           FW         Joseph Babatunde

15           DF           Chukwuma Nwoha

16           MF         Mohamed Yahaya

17           MF         Hilary Adiki

18           MF         Dele Abubakar

Head coach: Sebastian Brodrick-Imasuen