By Mukhtar Sagir Dambatta, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Nigeria’s football prowess is undoubtedly acclaimed worldwide.

In Africa, Nigeria is recognised as a football giant with some of the best stars in international football to show for it.

Talent abounds on every street of the nation; its youth consistently excel in every football tournament.

From grassroots football across cities like Lagos, Kano, Jos, Kaduna, Aba, and Port Harcourt, Nigeria continues to produce players whose talent, discipline and creativity have earned global attention.

The nation has also won Olympic football gold in the male category, with its female footballers equally winning numerous continental and world tournaments.

Currently, Nigerians are among some of the best footballers in the world with the likes of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Samuel Chukwueze shining every week in top European Leagues.

Other stars include Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Stanley Nwabali, Moses Simon, and Kelechi Ihenacho.

In spite this wealth of football talent, Nigeria continues to face the challenge of transforming individual brilliance into consistent national success.

While Nigerian players are recognised as some of Africa’s greatest, it has won the African Cup of Nations just three times and failed to qualify for the World in the last three editions.

The nation’s soccer enthusiasts will watch, painfully, how countries with lesser talents feature in the World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico without their nation being represented.

Speaking on the growth of Nigerian football talent, a football development expert, Coach Samuel Bassey, said the country possessed abundant raw talent capable of competing at the highest global level.

“Nigeria remains one of the few countries in Africa where football is deeply rooted in everyday life.

“Young players grow up with passion, confidence and determination to succeed,” he said.

According to him, the increasing number of Nigerian players in European leagues reflects the quality and competitiveness of local talents being discovered across the country.

Today, footballers such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina and Moses Simon remain strong symbols of Nigeria’s football strength on the international stage.

Abundance of talents notwithstanding, Nigeria continues to face the challenge of transforming individual brilliance into consistent national success.

While Nigerian players excel abroad, the national team has struggled at different periods with instability, poor preparation and inconsistent performances in major competitions.

Recent FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns and Africa Cup of Nations tournaments have exposed gaps in planning and football administration.

Speaking on the issue, Abubakar Dandago, a football journalist and analyst, noted that the growing number of Nigerian footballers changing nationality was linked to weak implementation of football policies and inadequate player support systems.

According to him, many players of Nigerian origin now choose to represent other countries because of better football structures, clearer development pathways and stronger institutional support abroad.

Increasingly, players of Nigerian descent now feature for countries such as England, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands at international level, including notable examples such as Bukayo Saka, Jamal Musiala, Karim Adeyemi and Eberechi Eze.

At the domestic level, the Nigeria Premier Football League continues to struggle with funding challenges, poor infrastructure and limited global competitiveness, affecting player development and the growth of the local game.

One major concern repeatedly raised by football followers is the poor record of clubs in away matches within the league.

Over the years, away victories have remained relatively rare, with home teams often dominating matches regardless of form or quality.

Analysts say this situation has continued to raise concerns about officiating standards, security, poor playing conditions and the overall credibility of the league.

A sports commentator, Usman Bature, said the inability of clubs to consistently secured away victories reflected deeper structural problems within Nigerian football.

“When away wins become rare in a football league, people begin to believe home advantage matters more than actual performance, and that affects the integrity of the competition,” he said.

He added that strong football leagues across the world were built on professionalism, fairness and equal competitive opportunities for all clubs regardless of venue.

In several past seasons, controversies surrounding refereeing decisions and crowd disturbances during league matches generated debates about professionalism and match security in the domestic competition.

For instance, in March 2023, reports of crowd trouble and attacks on match officials in some NPFL venues again drew national attention to security concerns within Nigerian football.

Beyond league challenges, experts also believe Nigeria’s shortage of functional sports institutions has slowed football development in the country.

They argue that many successful football nations invested heavily in sports schools, football academies, coaching institutes and modern training centres to nurture young talents from an early stage.

In Nigeria, however, many talented players still rely mainly on informal grassroots football systems with limited professional guidance and inadequate facilities.

Analysts say the country lacks enough specialised sports institutions capable of combining education with structured athletic development, while investment in sports infrastructure and youth programmes remains insufficient.

Recently, a Serbian Scout, Tihomir Sloboda, acknowledged that Nigeria had abundant football talents which, if properly harnessed, would propel the nation to global football greatness.

Sloboda, the Sports Director of Šiauliai Joniškis Football Club of Lithuania, spoke in Abakaliki during a talent hunt organised by the Salt Jewel FC, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality of talent on display at the hunt, noting that the players have the potential of ‘hitting it big” abroad.

“The talents might lack technical finesse and tactical understanding but the passion to succeed is undeniably evident.

“Relevant football authorities in the country should inaugurate structures to groom and expose these talents to attain desired stardom,” he said.

In spite of these challenges, Nigeria’s reputation as a football talent hub remains strong, with its players continuing to excel across major leagues worldwide.

However, experts insist that without urgent reforms in football administration, youth development and player welfare systems, the country risks losing more talents to other nations.

Stakeholders continue to call for reforms that will strengthen football governance, improve domestic league standards and create better opportunities for young players within the country.

They believe that with proper management, Nigeria’s unmatched football endowment can translate into consistent global success, reflecting its status as one of the world’s greatest producers of football talent. (NANFeatures)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.