Nigeria's Super Falcons had a storied history with the Olympic Games women's football event. The Atlanta ‘96 Olympics, when the event debuted on that stage, only showcased the women and their brand of football as a demonstration and the Nigeria women's team were not selected for that tournament.
They, however, qualified for Sydney 2000 as the Nigerian women completely dominated the continent in that era. It was on the road to London 2012 that things fell apart for the first time and the perennial African champions were left out.
The Nigeria’s men’s Olympic football team featured at the 1968, 1980 and 1988 Olympics. It was the regular national team that featured in those Games until the rules were adjusted ahead of the 1996 edition. Nigeria had to snatch a qualification ticket from Kenya in Mombasa – with a team that featured Austin Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba and Kanu Nwankwo, amongst others.
Atlanta ‘96
Nigeria arrived in the USA with a team nicknamed the Dream Team and it was a dream team in every sense of it. Emmanuel Amunike, Celestine Babayaro, Uche Okechukwu, Taribo West and goalkeeper Joseph Dosu were in their best forms. It was Nigeria’s Golden Generation and it was clearly demonstrated as they brushed aside revered Brazil (with Ronaldo and Bebeto) and Argentina in the semi final and final matches respectfully to win the gold medal.
In that Games, a former Falcons star and Police officer Chioma Ajunwa did the “impossible” by winning the long jump gold medal which became the first individual gold for Nigeria at the Olympics. It was a great feat but it was with great effort that Nigerians gave some time to celebrate her great achievement as the football gold medal overshadowed every other item.
The semi-final game against Brazil was widely celebrated even more than the actual gold game. It was played at about 2am Nigeria time but Nigerians waited through the night for the kick off. The fixture was against “almighty” Brazil which made it very big but the pattern the game took produced one of the greatest dramas seen with a Nigerian game.
The Brazilians were 3-1 up in the second half when super talented Ronaldo was substituted. Most people believed it was a game over for Nigeria until the equalizer and winner came like lightening. Of course Nigerians partied until day break. Such is the glamour of the football event for Nigerians. At Rio 2016 Olympics the country got just a bronze medal which incidentally came off football. The Rio Olympics was a very poor outing for Nigeria but many sins were forgiven the sports ministry because it was a medal from football.
Facing Banyana Banyana
There’s high hope for a return to the Olympic football for Nigeria but this can only become possible through the Falcons – the men lost out of the race last year. The ladies, though have quite the uphill task of beating highly rated South Africa’s Banyana Banyana. The Super Falcons will play Banyana in Abuja on April 5 and then in Pretoria on April 9 for the first and second leg encounters.
Qualifying is certainly not beyond Africa’s most decorated women’s team, but neither is it for the Banyana. Both teams are in the league of the best teams on the continent, with the South Africans being the reigning African champions.
The return of the star-studded Falcons would certainly add spark to Nigeria’s presence in Paris 2024. In the last Olympics in Tokyo the Falcons were not there, but there was another women’s team that Nigerians have followed with excitement. They are the national women’s basketball team known as D’Tigress.
D’Tigress have been quite consistent in the past seven years. Indeed they have not lost a game to any African team since 2017 when they won the Afrobasket in Mali. Last year they made a fourth straight title run. The absence of the Falcons in Tokyo gave D’Tigress the opportunity to enjoy the limelight. Both teams and individual players have celebrated each other on the Social Media consistently in recent times. D’Tigress X (Twitter) handle stays alive when the Falcons are playing as supporters of the Falcons and their fans love it.
The Super Falcons World Cup effect
The last World Cup in New Zealand/Australia stands out as one of the best outings for the Super Falcons.
They landed in the Southern Hemisphere on the back of a lackluster outing at the African Cup of Nations for Women’s held in Morocco. Quite a number of Nigerians wanted Coach Randy Waldrum out after that competition. The Falcons had struggled with a number of matches, and playing below par in Morocco was tough to bear. Indeed, those with extreme views wanted him out before the trip to New Zealand/Australia but the Falcons hit their stride as soon as the World Cup kicked off. England may have stopped the run of the Falcons in the Round of 16 but, for most Nigerians, they did not lose the match.
In Paris, hopefully, the thrill will be of double package for Nigerians. Nigeria’s Super Falcons last played at the Olympics in 2008 and will be eager to get back into the Olympic groove. As a matter of fact the current squad should be playing at their first Olympics after the long absence. The failure to make the Tokyo Olympics should serve as a spur for the Falcons. They lost out narrowly to Ivory Coast under a cloud of confusion in their final qualifier, exposing both the Agege Stadium as a poor venue for such a Grade A game and the country's football administration.
For the Super Falcons, it's ‘See Paris and die'
That incident is far behind them; the fresh spur is Paris. How is it said? “See Paris and die!” The joy of the World Cup is still fresh in the hearts of the Falcons. They surely loved the way Nigerians and indeed the world celebrated them at the World Cup and would love to enjoy such an atmosphere again.
The real kick though is to be at the Olympics. If they miss this, quite a number of the players may not be in the line-up in four years' time. The Olympics without a football team is like eating jollof rice without a piece of chicken for a typical Nigerian. The Super Falcons have just taken down a huge rival with the name Cameroon. The next in line is South Africa and the desire to take them out is real. Hopefully we will watch the Falcons in Paris.
