Flying Eagles and Chile ’87 disaster
I know many of you may not recall what has come to be known as the Chile disaster. However, for those of us who followed the tragedy, it remains one of the most embarrassing moments for Nigerian football. After so much hype and great expectations, the then national U-20 men’s football team, the Flying Eagles, […]
Flying Eagles
I know many of you may not recall what has come to be known as the Chile disaster. However, for those of us who followed the tragedy, it remains one of the most embarrassing moments for Nigerian football. After so much hype and great expectations, the then national U-20 men’s football team, the Flying Eagles, led by Coach Chris Udemezue of blessed memory, put up a dismal outing at the 1987 FIFA U-20 Championship in Chile. Pitched against Brazil, Italy, and Canada, the star-studded team failed to win a single match and crashed out at the group stage.
The atrocious performance of the Flying Eagles came as a huge disappointment because apart from the fact that the team was filled to the brim with immensely talented players from the best clubs in the country, Nigeria had won a bronze medal at the previous edition in Mexico, raising hopes for a better outing in Chile. But that was not to be as the team that paraded Etim Esin- one of the best players Nigeria has ever produced, crumbled like a pack of cards in Chile. After a 4-0 hammering by Brazil in the opening match, they managed to draw 2-2 with Canada in their second match but a 0-2 loss to Italy in the last group match sealed the fate of the Flying Eagles.
Although the early exit came as a shock to many, it wasn’t a surprise to those who closely followed the team’s preparation for the youth tournament. After winning all but one of their qualifying matches, the camp of the Flying Eagles was somehow divided over the final list of players for the Championship in Chile.
Since the Nduka Ugbade inspired team had just won the inaugural edition of the FIFA U-16 tournament in China, many felt that most of the outstanding players in that victorious squad should be included in the Flying Eagles. Surprisingly, it became a contentious issue as some felt there should be no preferential treatment for the Eaglets. In the end, the former U-16 players dominated the squad contrary to the wishes of some officials.
Apart from the selection headache for coach Udemezue, another major incident that destablised the team happened a few days to the kickoff of the tournament in Chile. The best player in the team, Esin, was shot in the thigh by armed robbers after he broke camp rules to go clubbing with two of his teammates. The nation was thrown into mourning because some reports had it that he had died in the unfortunate incident. But Esin survived, and everything was done to ensure that he recovered quickly to travel with the team to Chile.
It became a contentious issue because many felt that he should be excluded from the squad to serve as a deterrent for others but no one dared make such a costly mistake with the player who carried the hopes of the team. The delinquent Esin was so good that he was nick-named “African Maradona” after the legendary Diego Armanda Maradona of Argentina. So, despite his exceptional qualities and inestimable value, his selection brought about divisions in the team.
Although the Flying Eagles arrived in Chile with unresolved issues, nobody saw what was coming. There was so much belief in the prodigious talents who were in their prime and eager to conquer the world. The Chile 87 squad was made up of some gifted players like Etim Esin, Nduka Ugbade, Thompson Oliha, John Ene Okon, Adeolu Adekola, Jonathan Akpoborie, Nosa Osadalor, Lawrence Ukaegbu, and Sani Adamu. Despite the mishap in Chile, most of these players went on to play for the Super Eagles. Late Thompson Oliha was in the Super Eagles squad that won the 1994 AFCON and debuted at the 1994 World Cup in the USA.
In fact, those who were old enough to follow events in Nigerian football in the 80s would attest to the quality of these players who laced their boots for the best clubs in the country. Unfortunately, they were the same players who recorded what is commonly referred to as the Chile disaster.
Thirty-eight years later, Flying Eagles are returning to Chile to participate in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Will they atone for that shambolic performance in 1987? This is in doubt considering the lacklustre displays by the present squad at the U-20 AFCON in Egypt. Although the Coach Aliyu Zubairu-led team managed to qualify for the junior World Cup and won bronze medals, their overall performance was anything but satisfactory. The players failed to exhibit the usual flair Nigerian football teams are known for. It may be argued that what is important is the ticket to represent Africa which they won, but the truth is that the underwhelming show exhibited by the team portends danger as they prepare for tougher matches in Chile. Many have said it is another disaster waiting to happen.
While reflecting on the performance of the team in Egypt, I saw nothing other than the same problems that have bedeviled our national youth teams: the vested interest of agents and football administrators who pack every youth team with their players for personal benefits. I also saw traces of age falsification – what we euphemistically call football age. These twin evils were evident in the Flying Eagles to the recent AFCON.
Therefore, I had to agree with a content creator and football enthusiast known by the name “The Big Bird” who alleged in a recent viral video that “agents and football administrators have privatised our youth teams where they bring their own players there, package them, give them CV just so these players can move abroad.
“And when these transfers go through, everybody involved gets a cut. So, now you can see that the main purpose of youth teams has been defeated. Instead of creating and developing future Super Eagles, we are creating and profiling players just for export. We have mortgaged the future of the Super Eagles just for quick deals that are benefitting only a few people.”
“That is why for some time, we have not seen players graduate from U-17 to U-20 and to the Super Eagles. Different years, different people, different faces. So, it must dawn on us that the Super Eagles have no future from the youth teams, and our suffering in the national team hasn’t even started. Even if Nigeria ends up winning that tournament (2025 U-20 AFCON), it will benefit only a few people. It will be a big loss to Nigeria as a footballing nation.”
Indeed, the Flying Eagles failed to win their eighth AFCON title, but like “The Big Bird” foresaw, some players were showcased for personal gain, leaving national interest in jeopardy. So, to stand any chance of breaking the FIFA World Cup jinx, the present Flying Eagles squad must be overhauled and strengthened with more quality players. Most of the players that we took to Egypt are not World Cup material. The only way to avoid another disaster in Chile is to weed them out of the team.