Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed that a prestige
friendly match between the Super Eagles and England’s Three Lions will
take place at the Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, 2nd June 2018.
The match will be only the third between both countries at senior
level, and will serve as the Super Eagles’ final preparatory game for
the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia, with their first match against
Croatia in Kaliningrad coming exactly two weeks after.
NFF 1st Vice President and Chairman of the Federation’s Organizing
Committee, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, told thenff.com on Tuesday: “The match is now confirmed. We had been doing a lot of work in the background, even going back to last year.
“Now, we are happy to say that it is all sealed. Certainly, it
is going to be a big match, between two countries of remarkable
historical affinity and similarities.
“We have other matches and programs for the team, and we will
soon roll out the entire plan for matches, camping sites and training
camps.”
The idea of a friendly game between England and Nigeria in the
present dispensation was first mooted in 2015, when NFF President Amaju
Pinnick met with then Chairman of The FA, Greg Dyke in London.
Afterwards, Pinnick and NFF 2nd Vice President/LMC Chairman Shehu Dikko
(who is also Chairman of the NFF Marketing, Sponsorship and TV Rights
Committee)) met with incumbent Chairman of The FA, Greg Clarke, also in
London.
One of the promises made by Pinnick at the onset of his
administration was that he would actualize a match between the senior
teams of Nigeria and England. That has now become a reality – another
promise fulfilled.
Organizers hinted thenff.com on Wednesday that they expect a full
house at the big game, and that a train of top-drawer dignitaries could
include members of the Royal Family.
Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr told thenff.com: “This
is good news for myself and the entire team. England is a very strong
team presently and I believe they will give us a very good match. We
will be able to test our readiness for the World Cup when we meet the
Three Lions at Wembley.”
While the Super Eagles play Croatia, Iceland and Argentina in Group
D, the Three Lions are up against Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in Group G
in Russia.
England is one of only eight countries to have won any of the previous 20 editions of the FIFA World Cup finals.
On 30th July 1966, following a 4-2 defeat of then West Germany
after extra time in the Final, Captain Bobby Moore climbed old Wembley’s
39 steps to receive football’s most coveted prize from Queen Elizabeth.
Nigeria and England first clashed at senior level on 16th November
1994, also at the old Wembley Stadium. David Platt’s headed goal towards
the end of the first half separated both teams.
Both teams met again at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The encounter at
the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan on 12th June 2002 ended 0-0, with the
Super Eagles being eliminated from the finals at the group stage.
Akinwunmi added: “We decided to be strategic in our choice of
opponents for the Super Eagles leading to the World Cup, and in total
agreement with the preferences of the Technical Adviser. That is why we
opted for England. We played Argentina (in November 2017) without even
knowing we were going to be in the same group at the Finals.”
Three –time African champions, Nigeria came from two goals down to
defeat two –time world champions and reigning world vice champions,
Argentina 4-2 in that match in Krasnodar on 14th November 2017.
The Super Eagles already have a confirmed date with Poland (1974
and 1982 World Cup bronze medallists, and who play Senegal, Colombia and
Japan in Group H in Russia) in Warsaw on 23rd March. Other dates are
27th March and 27th May.