# Nigeria national under-20 football team

The Nigerian men's national under-20 football team represents Nigeria in men's international football also known as the Nigeria Under-20s or nicknamed the Flying Eagles. The Flying Eagles is the youth team for the national soccer in Nigeria. It plays a large role in the development of Nigerian football, and is considered the feeder team for the senior team. It is controlled by the Nigerian Football Federation. The team has won a record seven African U-20 Cup of Nations titles and are also two-times runners-up of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

## Competitive record
### FIFA U-20 World Cup record

FIFA U-20 World Cup record :
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
| 1977 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1979 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1981 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1983 | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1985 | Third place | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 |
| 1987 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1989 | Runners-up | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 |
| 1991 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1993 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1995 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1997 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1999 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| 2001 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2003 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2005 | Runners-up | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 5 |
| 2007 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 2009 | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| 2011 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 |
| 2013 | Round of 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 |
| 2015 | Round of 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| 2017 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
| 2023 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 2025 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 13/24 | 61 | 26 | 11 | 24 | 90 | 75 |

### Africa U-20 Cup of Nations record

Africa U-20 Cup of Nations :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
| 1977 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1979 | Semi-finalists | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 1981 | Semi-finalists | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 |
| 1983 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 7 |
| 1985 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 8 |
| 1987 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 9 |
| 1989 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 6 |
| 1991 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1993 | Group stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
| 1997 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1999 | Second place | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 |
| 2001 | Group stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 2003 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2005 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 2007 | Second place | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2009 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| 2011 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 |
| 2013 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
| 2015 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 |
| 2017 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2021 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | Third place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| Total | 18/23 | 7 titles | 97 | 56 | 14 | 27 | 151 | 90 |
A gold background colour indicates that Nigeria won the tournament.
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
*There was no third place match from 1979-1989.

## Team honours and achievements

Intercontinental
* FIFA U-20 World Cup
** Runners-up: 1989, 2005
** Third-place: 1985
Continental
* Africa U-20 Cup of Nations
** Winners: 1980, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015
** Runners-up: 1999, 2007
** Third-place: 1979, 1981, 1995, 2009, 2013, 2023
* Football at the African Games
** Silver medal: 2019
Sub-Continental
* WAFU U-20
** Silver: 2018
** Quarterfinals: 2008

## Staff

* Head Coach: Aliyu Zubairu
* First Assistant Coach: Usman Garba Suleiman
* Second Assistant Coach: Emeka Uzoma
* Scout: Hubert Okeke
* Goalkeepers' Trainer: Babajide Adegoke

## Current squad

The following players were named in the squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, to be played in May-June 2023.
Caps and goals correct as of 10 March 2023, after the match against Tunisia.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1GK | Chijioke Aniagboso | (2004-04-15) 15 April 2004 (age 20) | 5 | 0 | Chornomorets Odesa |
| 1GK | Nathaniel Nwosu | (2006-01-10) 10 January 2006 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Water |
| 1GK | John Utoblo | (2003-07-05) 5 July 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Mavlon |
| 2DF | Solomon Agbalaka | (2003-11-09) 9 November 2003 (age 21) | 6 | 1 | MFM |
| 2DF | Benjamin Fredrick | (2005-05-28) 28 May 2005 (age 19) | 6 | 0 | Brentford B |
| 2DF | Daniel Bameyi | (2006-01-04) 4 January 2006 (age 19) | 5 | 0 | Yumyum |
| 2DF | Abel Ogwuche | (2003-07-06) 6 July 2003 (age 21) | 5 | 0 | Trelleborgs FF |
| 2DF | Chimezie Njoku | (2004-08-02) 2 August 2004 (age 20) | 4 | 0 | Abia Warriors |
| 2DF | Israel Domingo | (2004-02-09) 9 February 2004 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | FC Sports |
| 2DF | Salim Figo Lawal | (2003-01-15) 15 January 2003 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Mavlon |
| 3MF | Samson Lawal | (2004-04-25) 25 April 2004 (age 20) | 6 | 1 | Livingston |
| 3MF | Daniel Daga | (2007-01-10) 10 January 2007 (age 18) | 1 | 0 | Dakkada |
| 3MF | Ibrahim Abdullahi | (2005-10-17) 17 October 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Samba |
| 3MF | Abbas Rabiu | (2007-07-04) 4 July 2007 (age 17) | 0 | 0 | Kano Pillars |
| 3MF | Victor Eletu | (2005-04-01) 1 April 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Milan |
| 3MF | Joshua John | (2004-01-18) 18 January 2004 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Nasarawa United |
| 3MF | Tochukwu Nadi | (2003-06-30) 30 June 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Botev Plovdiv |
| 4FW | Jude Sunday | (2004-10-04) 4 October 2004 (age 20) | 6 | 2 | Real Sapphire |
| 4FW | Ibrahim Beji Muhammad | (2004-02-03) 3 February 2004 (age 21) | 6 | 2 | Giants |
| 4FW | Rilwanu Sarki | (2004-02-02) 2 February 2004 (age 21) | 6 | 0 | Mahanaim |
| 4FW | Umeh Emmanuel | (2004-08-31) 31 August 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Botev Plovdiv |
| 4FW | Kehinde Ibrahim | (2006-01-15) 15 January 2006 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | 36 Lion |

## Former coaches

* Christopher Udemezue (July 1, 1982 – June 30, 1987/1988)
* Paul Hamilton (July 1, 1985 – June 30, 1986)
* Olatunde Nurudeen Disu (1987–1997)
* Thijs Libregts (July 1, 1998 – June 30, 1999)
* Samson Siasia (January 1, 2005 – March 26, 2007; June 30, 2009)
* Ladan Bosso (2007–2009)
* John Obuh (July 1, 2010 – February 1, 2013)
* Emmanuel Amunike (July 1, 2014 – November 1, 2017)
* Paul Aigbogun (January 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020)
* Ladan Bosso (2020 - 2024)