Nigeria

Rank: 44 World Cup appearances: 4 tournaments Best result: Second Round (1994, 1998) Top SCORERS (QUALIFYING) Emmanuel Emenike (3) Did you know? For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The Nigeria Football and other Sports Supporters Club (NFSSC), are demanding for about 62 million condoms to be made available to their fans ahead of this summer's World Cup.

Nigeria have the ability to become the first African country to get past the World Cup group phase on three separate occasions but are increasingly an unpredictable force.
Africa's most populous nation advanced to the second round in their maiden World Cup finals appearance in 1994 and again four years later in France and will be fancied to finish among the top two in Group F where they meet former world champions Argentina, debutants Bosnia and Iran.
But the burden of expectation has often tripped up the Super Eagles, who represent a country with passionate, demanding and fickle fans, who easily turn on their team when results are not achieved.
As in the United States in 1994, Nigeria arrive at the World Cup as African champions but their current side has none of the charisma and strong personalities of two decades ago when the team was captained by Stephen Keshi, who is now the coach, and featured established players like Austin Okocha, Sunday Oliseh and Rashidi Yekini.
That team came very close to a famous victory too - leading Italy with minutes to go in the second round in Boston before losing in extra time.
It means the Super Eagles have an enigmatic air about them with the potential to advance well into the knockout rounds but also largely untested and relatively inexperienced.
Much of their game is based on pacey attack, with a lot of emphasis on wide play, but their main finisher, Emmanuel Emenike, is often guilty of missing a myriad of chances and in defence there is an air of vulnerability.

STRENGTH
Attacking mindset
In Ahmed Musa, Victor Moses and Emmanuel Emenike, Nigeria boast a wonderful attacking triumvirate that could trouble any defence. Strength in midfield is also impressive, with the Super Eagles boasting a fine youngster in Ogenyi Onazi.

WEAKNESS
No star power
Keshi's current squad has no international stars - their two most influential players come from the Premier League but neither John Obi Mikel of Chelsea nor Liverpool's Victor Moses currently hold down regular places at their club sides.
Internal politics
They are just a step away from clashing with their own football federation - and perhaps fatally so. With Joseph Yobo, Obafemi Martins and Taye Taiwo all non-factors in Keshi's plans, most positions reek of inexperience beyond the first XI.

Jon Obi Mikel: The 27-year-old always displays a more vibrant style of play in his country's green shirt than when he sports the blue of Chelsea.

 

ONE TO WATCH
John Obi Mikel
John Obi Mikel is a Jekyll and Hyde player who often looks a totally different performer in the green of Nigeria than he does in Chelsea blue.
The 27-year-old occupies the deep-lying holding role for his club and barely ventures beyond the halfway line in the Premier League.
However, when he is on international duty he plays with a freedom and swagger that belies his status as a defensive rock at Chelsea.
The strong, robust midfielder seems to shed his inhibitions when playing for his country, strutting around like the linchpin of their attacking moves and popping up in the opposition penalty area to get the occasional goal.
The Obi Mikel tag has stuck ever since the Nigeria Football Association botched his paperwork ahead of a FIFA youth tournament and registered him wrongly.
Whatever he is known as, he has enjoyed a superb career at Stamford Bridge and even if his days there are numbered now, expect him to play a pivotal role for his country in June. 

 

Coach: Stephen Keshi
Stephen Keshi finally returns to the World Cup after 20 years, hoping for a major improvement on his previous experiences with world football's showpiece tournament.
Keshi, whose nickname is "Big Boss", was the captain of Nigeria for their maiden World Cup appearance in the United States in 1994 but fell out with Dutch coach Clemens Westerhof and played only one of their four games.
He has maneuvered around the fierce political infighting that often stymies the Nigeria FA and heads to Brazil with his team wearing the crown of African champions with a realistic chance of making it through a first round group.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheva), Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United)
Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Monaco), Efe Ambrose (Celtic), Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough), Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod), Joseph Yobo (Norwich), Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars)
Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea), Ramon Azeez (Almeria), Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio), Reuben Gabriel (Waasland-Beveren), Michael Babatunde (Volyn Lutsk)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle), Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce), Michael Uchebo (Cercle Brugge), Peter Odemwingie (Stoke), Victor Moses (Liverpool), Uche Nwofor (Heerenveen)