Nigeria national under-17 football team

The team won the maiden edition of FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1985 hosted by China, 1993, 2007, 2013, and 2015 (becoming only the second team since Brazil to win it back to back); making them the first team ever to win the junior world cup five times.[3] They also won the African Under-17 Championship in 2001 and 2007, and were runners-up in 1995 and 2013.

After the 2007 victory there was some discussion as to whether the success should be rewarded in the form of cash, or if longer-term investments were more suitable for teenage players. It was pointed out that some previous players had found themselves reduced to poverty due to injury or mismanagement of their funds.[3]

Heading into the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, head coach Henry Nwosu was replaced by John Obuh, coach of Kwara United.[4]

Although Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, they participated again in the 2013 edition of the tournament. Planning was thrown into disarray however in August when key members of the team was determined by MRI scanning to be overage and excluded from the team.[5] In their first match, the team defeated the defending champions Mexico with a 6–1 score. They only failed to defeat Sweden in the group stage, but they did so in the semi-finals. In the final match they faced and defeated Mexico for a second time, obtaining their fourth U-17 World Cup and becoming the national team to win the most U-17 tournaments so far.

The team were again the subject of age cheating accusations when, a total of 26 players from the 60-strong squad were sent home from their training camp in 2016 after failing compulsory MRI scans used to test age ahead of an African Cup of Nations qualifier.[6] It is important to note that amidst all the age cheating accusations, the team has never been found guilty of fielding overage players in any competition. All the players accused of being overage were all caught at the Abuja training camp and sent home before they played any game for the team.[5][6]

FIFA U-17 World Cup record FIFA U-17 World Cup record Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA 1985 Champions 1st 6 4 2 0 10 2 1987 Runners-up 2nd 6 3 2 1 7 5 1989 Quarter-finals 6th 4 2 2 0 7 0 1991 did not qualify 1993 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0 20 3 1995 Quarter-finals 7th 4 2 1 1 6 4 1997 did not qualify 1999 2001 Runners-up 2nd 6 5 0 1 14 5 2003 Group stage 11th 3 1 1 1 3 3 2005 did not qualify 2007 Champions 1st 7 6 1 0 16 4 2009 Runners-up 2nd 7 5 1 1 17 7 2011 did not qualify 2013 Champions 1st 7 6 1 0 26 5 2015 Champions 1st 7 6 0 1 23 5 2017 did not qualify 2019 Round of 16 15th 4 2 0 2 9 9 2023 did not qualify Total 12/19 5 Titles 67 48 11 8 149 43

Africa U-17 Cup of Nations record Africa U-17 Cup of Nations Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA 1995 Runners-up 2nd 5 4 0 1 13 5 1997 did not qualify 1999 Group stage 6th 3 1 1 1 5 5 2001 Champions 1st 5 3 2 0 13 4 2003 Third place 3rd 5 4 0 1 9 2 2005 Group stage 6th 3 1 1 1 8 6 2007 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 15 1 2009 did not qualify 2011 2013 Runners-up 2nd 5 3 1 1 18 5 2015 Fourth place 4th 5 2 1 2 7 6 2017 did not qualify 2019 Fourth place 4th 2 2 1 2 5 9 2023 Quarter-finals - 4 2 0 2 5 5 Total 10/14 2 titles 45 27 7 11 98 58

A gold background colour indicates that Nigeria won the tournament.

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Intercontinental

• FIFA U-17 World Cup
  • Winners: 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013, 2015
  • Runners-up: 1987, 2001, 2009

Continental

• Africa U-17 Cup of Nations
  • Winners: 2001, 2007
  • Runners-up: 1995, 2013
  • Third-place: 2003

Others

• UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup
  • Winners: 1997

The following players were named in the squad for the 2023 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations between 29 April – 19 May.[7]

Caps and goals are correct as of 1 May 2023, after the match against Mali.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Richard Odoh	(2006-11-23) 23 November 2006	3	0	HB Abuja
16	1GK	Temiloluwa Adelakin	(2006-06-12) 12 June 2006	0	0	Box2Box
23	1GK	Gift Adie	(2007-02-07) 7 February 2007	0	0	Paul E
2	2DF	Yahaya Lawali	(2006-06-06) 6 June 2006	3	0	Mahanaim
3	2DF	Emmanuel Michael	(2006-06-16) 16 June 2006	3	0	Simon Ben
5	2DF	Tochukwu Ogboji	(2006-12-15) 15 December 2006	3	0	Purple Crown
6	2DF	Jeremiah Olaleke	(2006-02-20) 20 February 2006	3	0	Ablaze
15	2DF	Israel Usulor	(2007-06-20) 20 June 2007	0	0	Real Sapphire
21	2DF	Chijoke Linus	(2006-07-31) 31 July 2006	0	0	Triple 44
22	2DF	Quadri Adewale	(2007-09-07) 7 September 2007	1	0	Nathaniel Boys
4	3MF	Haruna Abdullahi	(2007-01-01) 1 January 2007	0	0	Kurfi Tigers
7	3MF	Umar Abubakar	(2006-02-15) 15 February 2006	1	0	Devine
10	3MF	Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku	(2008-07-15) 15 July 2008	1	0	Triple 44
11	3MF	Charles Agada	(2006-09-03) 3 September 2006	3	1	Mavlon
12	3MF	Hope Linus	(2006-08-10) 10 August 2006	3	0	EE Sporting Club
14	3MF	Anongu Aondoakaa	(2007-08-28) 28 August 2007	2	0	Bethel Sporting
17	3MF	Simon Cletus	(2008-02-10) 10 February 2008	0	0	Mavlon
24	3MF	Musa Akinfenwa	(2007-09-04) 4 September 2007	0	0	Real Sapphire
25	3MF	Usman Owoyemi	(2006-08-21) 21 August 2006	3	0	Triple 44
26	3MF	Matthew Kingsley	(2006-11-26) 26 November 2006	0	0	Brooke House College
8	4FW	Abubakar Abdullahi	(2006-01-27) 27 January 2006	3	1	Jega United
9	4FW	Precious Williams	(2006-10-02) 2 October 2006	3	0	HB Abuja
13	4FW	Jubril Azeez	(2006-09-08) 8 September 2006	0	0	Right Vision
18	4FW	Tochukwu Ogbadibo	(2007-06-20) 20 June 2007	3	0	Jossy United
19	4FW	Light Eke	(2006-04-14) 14 April 2006	3	1	C & C
20	4FW	Favour Daniel	(2006-03-12) 12 March 2006	2	1	G12

• Super Eagles (Nigeria national football team)
• Flying Eagles (Nigeria national under-20 football team)
• African U-17 Championship

• Official website of the Nigerian Football Federation