The History of Football in Nigeria

Football is considered one of the most popular sports in the world. With its thrilling gameplay, it is undeniable that football fans from all over the world are always hyped when a tournament or league comes into play.

 

Today, there are a lot of countries that are hooked to this sport. This is the reason why many football athletes can be found around the world. One of the countries that favoured football is Nigeria. In fact, it is even considered as their national sport.

 

Here, many fans even tend to place a Nigeria sportybet whenever an interesting match comes up. Regardless if it may be a game of the national team or a domestic match, Nigerians are guaranteed to show their utmost support for their favourite athletes. As its popularity prevails in the country, let us try to take a look back at history and see how football started in the country.

 

The introduction of football

Nigeria used to be a colony of Britain in the early years of the 20th century. This introduced Nigerians to a lot of changes that can be seen in their culture. As much as the colonization may have brought forth some negative impacts, it also made a huge impact on the country. This includes a noticeable industrial and agricultural boom in Nigeria. Aside from that, it also introduced the locals to an entertaining sport that will keep them entertained for years. This sport is football.

 

Early records say that the first-ever played football match was held between Hope Waddell Training Institution and the crew of the British gunboat HMS Thistle. This match held in June 1904 was won by the Nigerians with a score of 3-2.

 

In 1906, football clubs also started to be formed in the country.

Nigerian Football Associations

In 1932, the country had its first football association. This was called the Lagos District Amateur Football Association (LDAFA). In 1945, the Nigerian Football Association (NFA) was launched. Today, this association is the national governing body of the sport. The following year, the sport became the national sport in the country.

 

Its impact on the country

It was declared as the national sport since it gave citizens a sense of national pride. In some way, the sport also became an inspiration to achieve political freedom. A man named Nnamdi Azikiwe established his own athletic club in 1938 to stand against racism in the sport. His club, the Zik’s Athletic Club (ZAC) became a symbol of self-determination and nationalism in the country.

 

Azikiwe popularized football and made it a part of the country’s national identity. He succeeded in his mission with his football coverage despite the ongoing Second World War. By the end of the war, football became a huge part of Nigerian culture.

 

In October 1960, Nigeria gained independence from Britain. That same year, Nigeria also became an official member of Fédération Internationale de Football Association or FIFA, the world’s governing association for football. With the undeniable impact of Azikiwe, he became the first Nigerian president in 1963.

Popularity of football

Years after having struggled with racism, Nigerians had proven themselves well on football fields. By watching countless matches in the national team or on the Nigeria Professional Football League, locals were introduced to talented athletes who established their names with their outstanding athleticism and sportsmanship.

 

Looking back at the long history of players who have stepped on the field, here are some names of the best Nigerian footballers of all time.

 

• Nwankwo ‘Papilo’ Kanu
• Austin ‘Jay-jay’ Okocha
• Rashidi Yekini

Overview

Before placing any Nigeria sportybet, we believe that people would first have to know the history of the sport that grew big in the country. By taking a look at how it all started, we believe that fans will appreciate the sports and Nigerian football players and teams even more.