Nigeria national under-23 football team

Nigeria U-23
Nickname(s)	Dream Team VII or Olympic Eagles
Association	Nigeria Football Federation
Other affiliation	Nigeria Olympic Committee
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach	Salisu Yusuf
Captain	Azubuike Okechukwu
Top scorer	Junior Ajayi (10)
Home stadium	Stephen Keshi Stadium
FIFA code	NGA
First colours	Second colours
Olympic Games
Appearances	6 (first in 1968)
Best result	Gold Medal (1996)
AFCON U-23
Appearances	3 (first in 2011)
Best result	Champions (2015)
African Games
Appearances	4 (first in 1973)
Best result	Gold Medal (1973)
Medal record

Nigeria national under-23 football team represents Nigeria in international football competitions in Olympic Games. The selection is limited to male players under the age of 23, except during the Olympic Games where the use of three overage players is allowed. The team is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation. In four appearances at the Olympic Games, the team has won gold in 1996, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2016.

Competitive record

Olympic Games record

Olympic Games
Appearances: 4
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
Until 1988	See Nigeria national football team
1992	did not qualify
1996	Gold Medal	1st	6	5	0	1	12	6
2000	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	2	1	8	10
2004	did not qualify
2008	Silver Medal	2nd	6	4	1	1	10	4
2012	did not qualify
2016	Bronze Medal	3rd	6	4	0	2	11	10
2020	did not qualify
2024	did not qualify
Total	Gold Medal	4/8	22	14	3	5	41	30

Prior to the Barcelona 1992 campaign, the Football at the Summer Olympics was open to full senior national teams.

African Games record

African Games
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1991	Bronze Medal	3rd	5	4	0	1	14	3
1995	Bronze Medal	3rd	5	2	1	2	5	3
1999	did not qualify
2003	Silver Medal	2nd	5	4	0	1	10	2
2007	did not qualify
2011	did not qualify
2015	Bronze Medal	3rd	4	1	2	1	4	4
2019	See Nigeria national under-20 football team
Total	Gold Medal	4/7	19	11	3	5	33	'12

Prior to the 1991 All-Africa Games campaign, the football tournament was open to full senior national teams.
2019 edition of the football tournament was played by the U-20 team.

U-23 Africa Cup of Nations record

U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances: 2
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2011	Group stage	6th	3	1	0	2	5	4
2015	Champions	1st	5	3	2	0	8	5
2019	Group stage	6th	3	1	1	1	3	2
2023	did not qualify
Total	Champions	1/3	11	5	3	3	16	11

Team honours and achievements

Intercontinental

Football at the Summer Olympics
- Gold Medal: 1996
- Silver Medal: 2008
- Bronze Medal: 2016

Continental

U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
- Winners: 2015
Football at the African Games
- Silver Medal: 2003
- Bronze Medal: 1991, 1995, 2015,

Other

Inter Continental Cup
- Winners: 2008
Niger Tournament^[1]
- Winners: 2002
TIFOCO Tournament^[2]
- Third-place: 2003

Players

Current squad

Squad for the 2023 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifiers vs. Guinea ^[3]

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
1GK	John Amah		Sunshine Stars F.C.
1GK	Nurudeen Badmus		Dakkada
1GK	Ifeanyi Nchekwube		Akwa United
1GK	Oriya Joseph		Lobi Stars F.C.

2DF	Christopher Nwaeze		Zorya Luhansk
2DF	Desmond Ojietefian		Shooting Stars
2DF	Okechukwu Chikason		Enyimba F.C.
2DF	Anthony Anieke		Akwa United
2DF	Samuel Olamilekan		Niger Tornadoes
2DF	Benjamin Tanimu		Bendel Insurance
2DF	Evans Ogbonda	(2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 22)	Port Harcourt City
2DF	Umar Ahmed Farouk		Gombe United

3MF	Daniel Wotlai		Abia Warriors
3MF	Akanni Qudus		Remo Stars
3MF	Auwalu Naziru		Enugu Rangers
3MF	Chibuike Nwaiwu		Enyimba F.C.
3MF	Divine Nwachukwu		Bendel Insurance
3MF	Taofeek Malomo		Shooting Stars
3MF	Samuel Chisom		Kwara United
3MF	Samaila Sarki		Bendel Insurance
3MF	Kumaga Suur		Lobi Stars F.C.
3MF	Inye Green		Ibani United

4FW	Munir Idris		Niger Tornadoes
4FW	Ahmed Jimoh		Kwara United
4FW	Ezekiel Edidiong	(2001-08-10) 10 August 2001 (age 23)	Remo Stars
4FW	Ifeanyi Ogba		Akwa United
4FW	Umar Ibrahim		El-Kanemi Warriors
4FW	Alkasin Deji Yusuf		Dakkada
4FW	Mojereola Suleiman		Sunshine Stars F.C.
4FW	Akile Monday		Lobi Stars F.C.

Overage players in Olympic Games

Tournament	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3
1996	Uche Okechukwu (DF)	Emmanuel Amunike (MF)	Daniel Amokachi (FW)
2000	Godwin Okpara (DF)	Garba Lawal (MF)	did not select
2008	Peter Odemwingie (FW)	did not select
2016	Daniel Akpeyi (GK)	Mikel John Obi (MF)	did not select

Recent results

2019

10 September 2019 2019 U-23 AFCON Q	Nigeria	5-0	Sudan	Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba
16:00 UTC+1	Awoniyi 13' Udo 25', 44' Faleye 67' Ibrahim 69'	Report		Referee: Bangaly Konaté (Guinea)

9 November 2019 2019 U-23 AFCON GS	Nigeria	0-1	Ivory Coast	Al Salam Stadium, Cairo
18:00		Report	Gnaka 71' (pen.)	Referee: Mohamed Maarouf (Egypt)

12 November 2019 2019 U-23 AFCON GS	Zambia	1-3	Nigeria	Al Salam Stadium, Cairo
21:00	Daka 12'	Report	Okwonkwo 16' Nwakali 65' Awoniyi 90+3'	Referee: Slim Belkhouas (Tunisia)

15 November 2019 2019 U-23 AFCON GS	Nigeria	0-0	South Africa	Al Salam Stadium, Cairo
21:00

References

^ "Niger International Tournament 2002". Rsssf.com. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
^ "TIFOCO Tournament 2003". Rsssf.com. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
^ "30 players called up for 2024 Olympics playoffs". NFF. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.

External links

Official Nigeria Football Federation website Archived 25 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine

[1] "Niger International Tournament 2002". Rsssf.com. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2016.

[2] "TIFOCO Tournament 2003". Rsssf.com. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 8 August 2016.

[3] "30 players called up for 2024 Olympics playoffs". NFF. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.

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