Captain of the first Nigerian team to win a world cup title: Nduka Ugbade (born 6 September 1969).

Nduka Ugbade was captain of the Nigeria U-16 male soccer team that won the 1985 Kodak/FIFA Football World Cup in the U-16 category(later referred to as JVC/FIFA at the following edition after which it metamorphosed to its current name and status -Coca Cola/FIFA U-17 WC). The event was held in China and brought Ugbade into prominence after Jonathan Akpoborire (5mns) and Victor Igbenoba (80+mns)scored unreplied goals for Nigeria against West Germany, securing what was Nigeria's and Africa's first major win in football on the global stage.

Four years later in the U-20 category, he was also part of Nigeria national football team at the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship that placed second and won silver medals at the FIFA U-20 Football World Cup in Saudi Arabia. Nigeria lost to Portugal in the final match, but Ugbade and his team mates were the toast of the spectators after posting spectacular wins over hosts Saudi Arabi, highly favored United States, and the USSR against which the Nigerian team recovered from a 4-0 deficit to level 4-4 with Ugbade scoring the fourth and the country winning on penalties. This win is fondly referred to in Nigerian football history as the "Damman Miracle".

In August 2011 he was appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to be one of the two assistant coaches for the Golden Eaglets (Nigeria under-17 national football team).In 2013 his team won the silver medal in the CAF U-17 championship tournament in Algeria.

The 1985 team which is the first Nigerian 18-man team to win the U-16 world cup : Lucky AGBONSEVAFE, Tenworimi DUERE, Nduka UGBADE, Fatai ATERE, Binabei NUMA, Kingsley AIKHIONBORE, Salisu NAKADE, Sani ADAMU, Jonathan AKPOBORIE, Victor IGBINOBA, Billa MOMOH, Imama AMAPAKABOR, Baudwin BAZUAYE, Joseph BABATUNDE, Chukwuma NWOHA, Mohamed YAHAYA, Hilary ADIKI, Dele ABUBAKAR. Coach: Sebastian BRODRICK-IMAUSEN.

The first Sub-Saharan African and First Nigerian to win African Cup of Nations both as a Player (1994) and as a coach (2013) - Stephen Okechukwu Keshi is a retired Nigerian football player. He was born in 23 January 1962 and was captain of the squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and played in five different African Nations Cup tournaments, helping Nigeria to win the 1994 African Cup of Nations.

Having finished his professional playing career, Stephen Keshi got special coaching education in the USA.

From 2004 till 2006 he headed the Togo national team and led them to their first ever FIFA World Cup championship in 2006.

Keshi also coached the Mali national team from April 2008 for two seasons but was sacked in January 2010, after Mali's early exit in the group stages of the African Cup of Nations. He was appointed the head coach of the Nigeria national team since 2011 leading Nigeria to qualify for the African Cup of Nations. He is only the second African to win the African Cup of Nations both as a player and as a coach, the first being Egypt's Mahmoud El-Gohary in 1959 as the game's top scorer and in 1998 as a Egypt's National team Coach. Keshi is also the first Nigerian captain to qualify Nigeria for the world cup.

In 2014, Kechi became the first Nigerian indigenous coach to lead Nigeria to the Round of 16 of a FIFA World Cup finals completion at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup finals. Nigeria played against Iran (0 – 0), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1 – 0) and Argentina (2 – 3) to reach the knock out stages of the competition. The two previous times Nigeria reached the knock-out stage of the FIFA World Cup competition was in 1994 (coached by Clemens Westerhof of the Netherlands) and 1998 (coached by Bora Milutinovic of Yugoslavia).

Nigeria's First Gold medal in Paralympic Athletics: Adeoye Ajibola (1992). Won by in the Sprints event. He ended up winning two gold medals at the competition

The First Nigerian to ever compete in the Olympics Games Canoeing even: Jonathan Akinyemi (London 2012)

The first Nigerian Olympic Silver Medal: Peter Konyegwachie (1984 Los Angeles Olympics - Boxing Men's featherweight)

The first Nigerian Olympic Gold Medal: Chioma Ajunwa (1996 Atlanta Athletics Women's long jump field event). She won with her very first attempt at the Olympic finals with a jump of 7.12m.

Chioma Ajunwa was born on December 25, 1971 in Umuihiokwu Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria. Also a former member of the Nigeria Women's Football team, the Falcons, representing Nigeria at the 1991 World cup. She is also a police officer. She was awarded a Member of the order of Niger (MON) after her Olympic achievement and was recently awarded a Nigeria Golden Jubilee Independence Awards along with 49 other distinguished Nigerians and friends of Nigerian on October 1, 2010.

These days, she champions the dangers of drug use in sports through her 'Chioma Ajunwa Foundation'.

The first Nigerian Olympic Athletics Medal: Bronze 1984 Los Angeles Men's 4×400 metre relay - Sunday Uti, Moses Ugbusien, Rotimi Peters, Innocent Egbunike)

The first African Boxer to be Posthumously Inducted into the Prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame, in the USA (1991): Dick Tiger CBE (born Richard Ihetu August 14, 1929 – December 14, 1971). He was also the first African Boxer to take part in the first World Championship Match to take place in Africa while defending his N.B.A middleweight belt for the second time against Gene Fullmer of America on 8th October 1963. He is the first Nigerian to hold the World Boxing Middle-Weight Crown on 23 October 1962 in San Francisco, USA.

The first African Stadium used to host Africa's first international Boxing world title bout - 8th October 1963 between Dick Tiger (Nigeria) and Gene Fullmer (USA): Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan (formerly Liberty Stadium). It is also the first stadium built in West Africa with a seating capacity of 35,000. The stadium was built in 1959 by the defunct Western Nigeria Government.

The first Nigerian to win a heavyweight championship belt: Samuel Peter (March 2008)

Samuel Peter won after stopping Oleg Maskaev in the sixth round of their WBC title fight with a flurry of devastating punches in Mexico, March 2008. The last time Nigeria had a shot at a major world boxing title was in 1979 through Obisia Nwakpa. Peter had claimed the WBC Heavy-Weight Crown on 24th September 2007 without a fight, after the former reigning champion Oleg Maskaev failed to defend the title due to back injury. On 6th October 2007, Peter successfully defended the title against Jameel McCline of the USA at the Madison Square Garden, New York.

The first Nigerian Olympic Men's heavyweight Boxing medal: 1992 Barcelona - David Izonritei

The first Nigerian Olympic Men's super heavyweight Boxing medal: 1992 Barcelona -Richard Igbineghu

The first Nigerian Olympic Women's 4×100 metre relay medal: 1992 Barcelona Bronze-Beatrice Utondu, Christy Opara-Thompson, Mary Onyali, Faith Idehen

The first Nigerian Olympic Women's 200 metres Bronze Medal: 1996 Atlanta - Mary Onyali

The first Nigerian Olympic Women's 400 metres Bronze Medal: 1996 Atlanta - Falilat Ogunkoya. Ogunkoya is the first Nigerian female athlete to win an individual Olympic medal, first Nigerian to win two medals in the same Olympics, a silver and a bronze at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and holds the African record in 400-metres event.

The first Nigerian Olympic Women's 100 metre hurdles Silver Medal: 2000 Sydney Olympics - Glory Alozie

The first Nigerian Olympic Men's 4×400 metre relay Silver Medal: 2000 Sydney - Nduka Awazie, Fidelis Gadzama, Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye, Sunday Bada, Enefiok Udo-Obong

The first Nigerian Olympic Weightlifting(Women's 75 kg) Medal/Silver Medal: 2000 Sydney - Ruth Ogbeifo

The first Nigerian Olympic Men's 4×100 metre relay Bronze Medal: 2004 Athens - Olusoji Fasuba, Uchenna Emedolu, Aaron Egbele, Deji Aliu

The first Nigerian Olympic Men’s Football Medal/Gold Medal: 1996 Atlanta - Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amuneke, Tijjani Babangida, Celestine Babayaro, Emmanuel Babayaro,Teslim Fatusi, Victor Ikpeba, Dosu Joseph, Nwankwo Kanu, Garba Lawal, Abiodun Obafemi, Kingsley Obiekwu, Uche Okechukwu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Mobi Oparaku, Wilson Oruma, Taribo West

The first Nigerian Olympic Men’s Football Silver Medal: 2008 Beijing - Olubayo Adefemi, Dele Adeleye, Oluwafemi Ajilore, Efe Ambrose, Victor Anichebe, Onyekachi Apam, Emmanuel Ekpo, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Promise Isaac, Monday James, Sani Kaita, Chinedu Obasi, |Victor Nsofor Obinna, Peter Odemwingie, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Solomon Okoronkwo,Oladapo Olufemi, Ambruse Vanzekin

Nigeria’s First International cruiserweight (1987): Bashiru Ali

The first time Nigeria won African Nation’s Cup: 1980 - The Green Eagles.

Nigerian won the first Kodak/FIFA Under-16 World Cup Championship in Beijing China in 1985

The country's under-20 soccer team also won the bronze in the Junior World Cup competition in the Soviet Union in 1986

The first Nigerian footballer to be awarded the CAF African Footballer of the Year award: Rashidi Yekini (1993).

Yekini was born in Kaduna on 23 October 1963. After starting his professional career in the Nigerian league, he moved to Côte d'Ivoire to play for Africa Sports National, and from there he went to Portugal and Vitória de Setúbal where he experienced his most memorable years, eventually becoming the first division's top scorer in the 1993–94 season after scoring 21 goals; the previous campaign he had netted a career-best 34 in 32 games to help the Sadinos promote from the second level, and those performances earned him the title of African Footballer of the Year in 1993, the first ever from the nation.

Yekini took home the prestigious Bola de Prata trophy given out by O Bola newspaper. It was the first top scorer title for Setubal since Francisco Rodrigues did the double between 1943 and 1945. No Vitoria Setubal player has since won the top scorer title. He died in Ibadan on 4 May 2012 at the age of only 48

The African Footballer of the Year award, presented to the best African footballer each year, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1992. An earlier African Footballer of the Year Golden Ball award was given out between 1970 and 1994 by France Football magazine. The changes resulted in parallel Golden Ball awards given out to Abedi Pelé and George Weah in 1993 and 1994 by the magazine although the CAF sponsored awards for those years were won respectively by Rashidi Yekini and Emmanuel Amuneke, as well as two awards given to Abedi Pelé in 1992. France Football discontinued the election from 1995 after the European Ballon d'Or - also awarded by the magazine, had been opened to all players in the European leagues.

The first Nigerian player to lift the prestigious English FA Cup(1985): Daniel ‘The Bull’ Amokachi

Festus Adegboye Onigbinde made history at Kore-Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup as the first Nigerian to lead Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup final, following Dutchman Clemens Westerhof in 1994 and Yugoslavia's Bora Milutinovic. He also became the first-ever African to manage a sub-sahara African nation at a FIFA World Cup finals. The eight appearances prior to his (one by Zaire, four by Cameroon, and one by South Africa and two by Nigeria) were overseen by eight different Europeans hailing from Russia to France.

Onigbinde is also the first coach not to take Nigeria to the knock-out Round of 16 stages of a FIFA World Cup competition. Nigeria played against Argentina (0 – 1), England (0 – 0) and Sweden (2 – 1) at the group stages of the competition.

Nigerian schoolgirl weightlifter Augustina Nwakolo (17-year-old) scooped the first gold medal at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Year: October.4, 2010. Event: Women’s 48kg category. She nailed the Games records in both the snatch and clean and jerk for a total of 175kg.

Nigeria’s First ‘‘Africa’s Footballer of the year" CAF awards : Emmanuel Okala – 1978

Nigerian National Federation for American football championed by Amobi Okoye Foundation, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and USA Football, establishing Africa's first (American football) football Federation (March 13, 2011): run by Amobi Okoye

Amobi Okoye (born June 10, 1987 in Anambra, Nigeria) is an American football defensive tackle for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Texans 10th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville.

Okoye was born in Anambra State, Nigeria, a member of the Igbo ethnic group. He moved to Huntsville, Alabama, United States when he was 12 years old. After only spending two weeks in middle school, he tested into the 9th grade. He first started playing football as a sophomore at Lee High School, knowing virtually nothing about the game before his high school coach suggested he go play Madden NFL football to learn. By the time he was a senior, he won first-team All-State honors as both a defensive lineman and offensive lineman. Because he shares the same surname as former Kansas City Chiefs running back Christian Okoye, some sources have claimed that the two are related. Amobi says they are not related, but the two families live on adjoining land in Nigeria

At age 15 Okoye chose the University of Louisville over Harvard, privileging the strong football program of the former over the academic reputation of the latter. Nevertheless, he plans to attend graduate school at Harvard eventually.

At Louisville, Okoye majored in biology. He later switched his major to psychology and graduated a semester early, thereby completing his degree in three and a half years. At 16, he became the youngest player in the NCAA. Okoye played in all 13 games as a true freshman at defensive tackle and was credited with 17 tackles and a sack. He recorded then-career-best three tackles against Tulane and recorded his first career sack against UTEP.

Okoye was drafted by the Houston Texans as the tenth pick of the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He is the youngest player to ever be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft at only 19 years old. He was the highest draft pick to come out of the University of Louisville since the AFL-NFL merger.

Okoye signed a six-year deal with the Texans on July 26, which allowed him to begin training camp with his teammates the next day. With his first start, Okoye became the youngest player to appear in an NFL game since 1967.

Okoye was named Defensive Rookie of the Month for September 2007 after leading the AFC with four sacks. He is the youngest player ever to receive the award.

Nigeria and Africa's first Gold medal in the Men's Doubles category at the 1982 6th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships: Atanda Musa (Pictured) and Sunday Eboh. Held in Bombay, India (at a temporary stadium on a cricket pitch at Khar Gymkhana from 3 February to 9 February).

Atanda Musa went on to win Nigeria’s first Gold medal in the Men's Singles category at the same event.

The Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships was born at a meeting of Commonwealth delegates in Munich at the 1969 World Championships. Prior to inclusion in the Commonwealth Games proper in 2002, 15 Commonwealth Championships have taken place since 1971.

The first Nigerian British-Born American football defensive player to have won a Super Bowl ring (February 3, 2008 at the Super Bowl XLII games held at the University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona): Ositadimma "Osi" Umenyiora. He joined Scott McCready and Giants teammate Lawrence Tynes as one of three British-born players to have won a Super Bowl ring. Osi was born in Golders Green, London on November 16, 1981 to Nigerian parents. His family moved back to Nigeria and later to Auburn, Alabama, where he started playing football in high school. He is of Igbo descent, and his full first name means in Igbo "from today on things will be good"

Osi Umemyiora attended Troy State University and started 46 of 48 games for the Trojans. As a senior, he was named All-America honourable mention and All-Independent 1st team selection by The NFL Draft Report.

By the end of the New York Giants’ 2007 season, Umenyiora's 13 sacks helped the Giants to an NFL regular season-leading 53 sacks. The Giants had a surprise victory in Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots, in part because of their strong pass rush performance. Umenyiora had four tackles in that game, three of which were solos. Umenyiora made a second Pro Bowl appearance in 2007.

On January 5, 2005, Osi's team, the New York Giants played against the New England Patriots at the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl XLVI championship games held at the Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana for the 2011 season winning 21 - 17.

On March 27, 2013 Umenyiora signed a two-year deal worth $8.55 million with the Atlanta Falcons.

Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi “Emeka” Okafor (born September 28, 1982): The first Nigerian draft picked by the expansion Charlotte Bobcats (June 24, 2004). He was selected second overall in the draft, becoming not just the first Nigerian but also the first ever draft pick by the expansion Charlotte Bobcats.

Emeka is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

On January 12, 2007, he recorded an NBA season high ten blocks in a game against the New York Knicks. His 'ten blocks' were the most ever recorded in a single game at Madison Square Garden.

The first Nigerian in Pac-10 history to post two or more triple-doubles in a season: Andre Tyler Iguodala

In the 2003–2004 season, Iguodala was named team MVP after leading his team in rebounds, assists and steals. He collected three triple-doubles that season, joining Jason Kidd as the only two players in Pac-10 history to post two or more triple-doubles in a season.

The first Nigerian to captain an Ice Hockey team in NHL history: Jarome Iginla (born July 1, 1977).

Jarome is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). A six-time NHL All-Star, he is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists to Al MacInnis.

He became the first 18-year-old to play for the Flames since Dan Quinn in 1983 when he appeared in two games for the Flames in their series against the Chicago Blackhawks.

At the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey event, he scored two goals in the gold medal game, a 5–2 victory over the United States, as Canada won its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years. With this win, Iginla became the first black man to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.

He is also considered the first black captain in NHL history along with Dirk Graham. Dirk Milton Graham (born July 29, 1959) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota North Stars in the National Hockey League. He is considered the first black hockey captain(along with Jarome Iginla), given that one of his parents is bi-racial. Late in 1988–89, Graham was named team captain, the first player of African descent to become team captain in the National Hockey League. He captained the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1991–92, where they were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nigeria’s First International Sports Medal: silver medal in the high jump event - Josiah Olatunji Majekodunmi in 1950 (Auckland, New Zealan-British Empire games of 1950). A High Jumper, he was born on 12 April 1927 at Abeokuta and captained Abeokuta Grammar School in the prestigious Grier Cup competition in 1947 to victory for the first and last time. He also competed at the 1948 London Olympics. Majekodunmi was one of Nigeria's team sent to the London Olympics in 1948 who were denied participation because Nigeria was deemed ineligible to compete at the games due to lack of recognition by the International Olympic Committee. He died on 9 October 1996. His daughter, Miss Olawunmi Majekodunmi was the African Table Tennis champion for most of 1970s and 1980s.

Nigeria's first official participation at the Commonwealth Games: 1954

In the 1950 Games, Joshua Majekodunmi of Nigeria & Alan Paterson of Scotland tied for the silver medal in the High Jump, however Nigerian athletes first participated officially in the Commonwealth Games in 1954 and they won several medals. In the High Jump, Emmanuel Ifeajuna (yes, the same Major Ifeajuna, a hero of the 1966 coup d'etat) created a new British Empire and Commonwealth Games record by clearing the bar at 6 ft. 8 in, earning him Nigeria's first Commonwealth Games Gold; Nafio Osagie took the bronze in the same event. The Nigerian team also set a new record in the 4 X 100 yards relay by recording the same time of 41.4 seconds as Canada very narrowly beat them into the silver medal position. Another narrow defeat which gave Nigeria a silver medal was on the Hop, Step and Jump (now called Triple Jump) in which Peter Esiri jumped 50 ft 0 in., one inch less than the winner. Nigeria’s third silver medal was won in the Long Jump by Karim A. B. Olowu. That same team also won 3 bronze medals; one each in High Jump, Long Jump and Boxing and came fourth in the 100 yards.

Nigeria qualified for the first time to represent Africa in a senior World Cup and did it in grand style. She became the first country to win her first World Cup match and the first to advance beyond the first round in her attempt. Although the Eagles lost in the second round

The feat performed by the Golden Eaglets in Japan is memorable. For the second time, Nigeria won the FIFA under -17 championships making her the First and only country to achieve such feats. In a world of football giants like Brazil, Italy, Germany and Argentina, the feat of the Golden Eaglets and Nigeria is indeed spectacular.

Sports began to take serious roots in the country in 1963 when the National Sports Commission (NSC) began to function under Abraham Ordia as secretary. The 60’s were a period of laying foundations and the only visible achievement was the qualification of Nigeria's Green Eagles for the Olympic Games held in Mexico in 1968.

First Time Nigeria Hosted the All African Games: In 1973, Nigeria hosted the 2nd All-Africa games in Lagos and also introduced the national sports festival as a way of discovering athletes to represent the country try in continental and international meets. The first meeting in Lagos attracted about 6,000 athletes. Nigeria’s First Senior football team to win a gold medal at the All-Africa Games: Nigeria's senior football team won a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games while the country's contingent to the games won an overall Second position on the medals table.

The first Time Nigeria won the African Cup of Nations (1980): The bronze medals won in 1976 and 1978 in the African Cup of Nations were improved upon in 1980. The Christian Chukwu led Green Eagles won the Cup for the first time in Lagos.

Nigeria's Junior Eagles qualified for the first time to represent Africa (alongside Ivory Coast to represent Africa from the CAF 1983 African Youth Championship) in a Junior World Cup in Mexico. Although, Nigeria did not go beyond the first round having lost 0-3 to Brazil she beat highly rated USSR 1-0 and held Netherlands to a goalless draw. The 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship, the fourth edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Mexico from June 2 to June 19, 1983. The tournament took place in seven venues - Guadalajara, Irapuato, León, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puebla and Toluca — where a total of 32 matches were played. The winner was Brazil, who beat Argentina by 1–0, in a final held at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium.

First Nigerian Football Club to win the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Competition: Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan won the maiden edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) cup in 1992. Bendel Insurance FC of Benin added more feathers by winning back the CAF cup in 1994 but also added the West African Football Union (WAFU) cup to her kitty.

CAF Confederation Cup, a merger of CAF Winners’ Cup and CAF Cup, was introduced in 2004 and contested for by the national Cup winners of member national associations. Before the merger, CAF Winners’ Cup was introduced in 1975 and the CAF Cup in 1992.

Shooting Stars (also known as 3SC or Oluloye Warriors) is the first club to win the FA cup on club basis in Nigeria in 1971, players like Aderoju Omowon, Niyi Akande, Jossy Lad, Amusa Adisa were prominent in the squad. Shooting Stars is one of the most decorated clubsides in Nigeria alongside Enugu Rangers and the defunct Stationery Stores F.C. of Lagos. In fact, Shooting Stars and Enugu Rangers are known as the traditional football clubs in the country, both dominating the football scene in the country during 70s and 80s.

Shooting Stars have played and won many matches against top club sides in Africa. 3SC won the first edition of CAF Cup, defeating the Nakivubo Villa of Uganda 3-0 in the finals at the Lekan Salami stadium after the first leg ended goalless. They won the African Cup Winners' Cup in 1976 against Tonnerre Yaoundé of Cameroon through an aggregate score of 4-1 and 0-1, becoming the first Nigerian clubside to win an international trophy.

The Captain of the first Nigerian football team, which played its first match in 1938 against Ghana: S.A Fashola - An employee of the P&T Department, he also played for the P&T football team. A commanding presence on the pitch in spite of his relative youth at the time, he is described by some experts (inc Sam Akpabot), as the greatest Captain of the National team. He went on to a career in the Nigerian Ports Authority as a Senior Manager, where he retired. He is the Grand-Uncle of Babatunde Raji Fashola, the thirteenth Governor of Lagos State.

Nigeria's first participation in international sports: Auckland, New Zealand - British Empire games of 1950.

Nigeria’s First International Sports Gold Medal: Vancouver Canada 1954 Commonwealth Games - Emmanuel lfeajuna

Nigeria’s First Participation in the Olympic games: 1952 in Helsinki Finland

Nigeria's First Participation in the Paralympic games: 1992 in Barcelona, Spain

The first inter-regional basketball championship held in Lagos: 1965

Nigeria's First Gold medal in Paralympic Powerlifting (48Kg category) event: Monday Emoghavwe (1992)

The first Nigerian to play in the English Premier League (EPL): John Chiedozie. Born 18th April 1960 in Owerri. He played for Tottenham Hotspurs, Derby County,Leyton Orient, Notts County in the Late 70s and early 80s.

The first Nigerian Football Club to win a continental title: Enugu Rangers. Enugu Rangers is also the first Nigerian club to play in any CAF competition, the CAF Champions League, in the final, but lost to Hafia of Guinea. It is also the first Nigerian Club-side to go public & sell stock (November 2008).

Rangers International Football Club of Enugu popularly called Enugu Rangers are based in Enugu and play their home games at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium. As at 2014, the club is credited as one of only two Nigerian division one football teams (along with Heartland F.C.) that has never been relegated.

The first Nigerian Club to win the CAF Champions League: Enyimba FC of Aba. It is also the first Nigerian team to ever retain any international Title: Enyimba FC of Aba

The first Nigerian National team captain to lift the AFCON: Christian Chukwu

The first Nigerian Olympic Football team captain to lead it's team to win a football Olympic Gold: Nwankwo Kanu. Kanu is also the first Nigerian to play for Arsenal, the first Nigerian to play for Inter-Milan, and the first Nigerian to win the UEFA Champions league: Nwankwo Kanu

The first Nigerian to play for FC Barcelona: Emmanuel Amuneke. Futbol Club Barcelona also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper, the club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, hence the motto "Més que un club" (More than a club).

Barcelona is the most successful club in Spain, in terms of overall official titles won (83). Barcelona was ranked first in the 'All-Time Club World Ranking' by IFFHS, on December 31, 2009.

The first Nigerian to play for Juventus: Sunday Oliseh. Juventus are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont. The club is the third oldest of its kind in the country and has spent the majority of its history, with the exception of the 2006–07 season, in the top flight First Division (known as Serie A since 1929).

The first Super Falcons Captain: Ngozi Ezeocha

The first Super Falcons female coach: Eucharia Uche. She is also the first Nigerian Female footballer to lift the African Women's Championship and the first Super Falcons coach not to lead the Super Faolcons to an international Champoinship.

The youngest Nigerian football player to win African NATIONS CUP: Henry Nwosu at the age of 16 year 9 months old. Nwosu was the youngest member of Nigeria's victorious 1980 African Nations Cup squad, and scored the only goal for Nigeria at the 1980 Olympics. He also played in the 1982, 1984 and 1988 tournaments, finishing runners up in the latter two, with his last game for Nigeria coming in 1991.

He was an assistant for former Eagles teammate Samson Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Nigeria won the silver medal. He formerly was an assistant to Onigbinde that took the Super Eagles to 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan. On 27 September 2008, Nwosu was appointed as the coach for the Nigerian U-17 team. However he was removed from the post in April 2009 after a string of poor results in preparation for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He was hired that August as coach of Union Bank F.C. In October 2013, he was named coach for Abeokuta club Gateway United F.C

The Onikan stadium in Lagos is the first stadium in Nigeria. It was originally built in 1930 and used to be named after King George V.

The first Nigerian sprinter to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 metre: Olapade Adeniken

The first Nigerian WBO NABO and NABF Cruiserweight Champion: Lateef Kayode

Nigeria's first medal in any international sports: Josiah Olutunji Majekodunmi (April 12, 1927 – October 9, 1996) was a Nigerian Athlete.

He competed at the 1950 British Empire Games at Auckland, New Zealand where he won Nigeria's first medal in any international sports, a silver medal in the Men's High Jump event. Prior to the Commonwealth games, he captained Abeokuta Grammar School Athletics team to win the prestigious Grier Cup for Nigerian high schools in 1947 for the first and the last time. Majekodunmi was also at the 1948 London Olympics, and placed 9th in the high jump event at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

He was also the father of Miss Olawunmi Majekodunmi, the African Table Tennis champion for most of 1970s and 1980s.

Nigeria and Africa's first professional coach: Teslim Akanni 'Thunder' Balogun. 1927-1972. Started playing football in 1944. Played for Apapa Bombers, Marine, Railway, Plateau, and Dynamo , all Nigerian clubs. He played for Queen Parks Rangers in the U.K. between 1955 and 1957. He was called ''thunder'' for his lethal shots. This picture may have been taken between 1955 and 1957.

Teslim Balogun featured a record seven times in the Governor's Cup and the Challenge Cup finals. His first outing was in 1947 for Marine. He appeared for Railway in 1949, Plateau in 1951, Pan Bank in 1952 and Dynamo in 1953. He was also in the cup-winning Ibadan team of 1959 and 1961.

In the seven Governor’s Challenge Cup finals he played, his team won five times, making him the first player to have that number of Challenge Cup medals. He made marks in goal-scoring too. Balogun was the first player to score a hat-trick in the Challenge Cup final when he netted three goals in Pan Bank's 6-1 routing of Warri XI in 1952.

The first club he featured for in England was Peterborough United. He joined the club during the 55/56 season. He has the distinction of being the first 'coloured' player to sign professional forms for Peterborough United. He made his debut for Peterborough reserves in an Eastern Counties League match away to Holbeach.

In November 1960 Balogun played his last international match in Nigeria's 2-1 loss to visiting Egypt. The match was arranged to commemorate the inauguration of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as the first indigenous Governor-General of Nigeria.

The first top-three finish by a Nigerian at the CAF awards was for Odegbami who was third in 1977. Odegbami also finished second in 1980. The next time a Nigerian finished in the top three was when Yekini finished third in 1993. Yekini won the award as the first Nigerian in 1994. Okala, sadly was never in the top three. France football gave the award from 1970 to 1994 while CAF started givining the award in 1993. Yekini won the first CAF award in 1993 while Abedi won the France football award. Amunike won the CAF award in 1994 while Weah won the France Football version in that year.

The first Nigerian coach to obtain an overseas certificate in coaching and eventually became the first indigenous coach to be hired by NFF: Dan Anyiam

The first coach to make Nigeria qualify for any FIFA competition: Chris Udemezue. Udemezue attained this enviable height when he took the Flying Eagles to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Mexico in 1983.

Nigeria’s first African Nations title: 1980 African Nations Cup captained by Patrick Olusegun Odegbami

Nigeria’s first Director of Sports who conceptualized what is now called National Sports Festival: Chief Jerry Enyeazu; The ebullient sports administrator who founded Enugu Rangers, Heartland, Enyimba and Grasshoppers of Owerri. Enyeazu was Nigeria’s first Director of Sports who conceptualized what is now called National Sports Festival and put in place the second All Africa Games (Nigeria’s first time of hosting) in 1973 in Lagos which Nigeria hosted. He also facilitated the establishment of the National Institute of Sports (NIS).

Nigeria qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 1994

The first Chairman of Nigerian Football Association (NFA): Godfrey Amahcree

The first African country to qualify for the 2014 Brazil World Cup finals: Nigeria (16 November 2013), after a 2-0 home win over Ethiopia in their play-off in Calabar with a 4-1 aggregate win in the two-legged tie after Nigeria also won in Addis Ababa in October 2013.

The first Medal won by an indigenous Nigerian at the Abuja Stadium: Eme Edem, the first Nigerian and female to win a Competition on Abuja National Stadium she competed in 100m race on April 8, 2003 at the Official Opening day while Fatugba Olusiji won the Male's 100m race.

The first Nigerian to run under 10 seconds at the All Africa Games and break the World Record: Chidi Imoh, August 8, 1987 at the 4th All Africa games in Nairobi, Kenya. He ran the 100 metres in a world record time 9.92 seconds.

The first female boxing champion at the National Youth Games (NYG): Okoro Vwerosuo (December 2013). The Delta State boxer defeated Kalu Kasarachi from Abia to become the first female boxing champion at the National Youth Games (NYG). The female weight category witnessed nine bout with four taking place in the 51 and 57 weight categories each, while the only fight in 54 kg produced Vwerosuo as the first female boxing champion.

The first female to win the annual Governor’s Belt since its inception in 2009: Aishat Oriyomi, a Lagos State boxer made the feat in December 2013 at the 48th monthly Saturday Boxing Show tagged: “Governor’s Belt,’’ edition. Oriyomi, 25, was adjudged the best boxer for the year 2013 when she defeated her Ogun State counterpart, Onome Odion 2-1 in the pulsating 54kg category.

The maiden champion of the annual Governor’s Belt: Rasheed Lawal in 2009.

The first year that the Nigerian Football Federation (NFA) organized a competition bringing together clubs from Lagos, Port Harcourt and Calabar: 1945 the year the NFA was created.

The first Nigerian goalkeeper to play abroad: Peter Rufai (a Goalkeeper) after he signed for Beninese team Dragon FC in 1986. Rufai began his footballing career in 1986 playing for Stationary Stores FC and Femo Scorpions in the same year.

The first football manager to lead Nigeria to a FIFA world cup final: Clemens Westerhof (USA, 1994)

Westerhof is credited with turning Nigeria into a perennial powerhouse in African football and showing that they, and other African nations, can compete on the world stage. He is responsible for what could be described as a "golden" period in Nigerian football. Players such as Jay-Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Nwankwo Kanu, Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi and others, who all went on to successful careers with various high-profile European clubs, entered the world spotlight while playing under Westerhof.

Westerhof began his career as an assistant coach with Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has also coached Vitesse Arnhem, the Zimbabwean national team, the Sporting Lions of Zimbabwe's Premier League, and the Bush Bucks and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa's Premier Soccer League. In addition, he has served as technical director of the Harare-based Agatha Sheneti Youth Academy and also of the Harare United club, which was linked to the Academy. In 2001 he was technical director of Dynamos FC, Zimbabwe's biggest club, but lasted in the position just a few months.

The first black England footballer at any level: Benjamin Odeje (Football, born Nigeria) in 1971.

Odeje was the first black footballer to represent England at any level. He played in five schoolboy internationals, making his debut against Northern Ireland at Wembley in 1971.

Odeje was born in Nigeria and as a child moved to England with his parents. The family lived in south-east London, where Odeje attended South East London Secondary School in Deptford, and his mother worked as a nurse. In March 1971, as a 15-year-old, he was selected for the England schoolboys team to play Northern Ireland schoolboys at Wembley.

Odeje played for his local professional club, Charlton Athletic. He played in France with Charlton's youth team in the summer of 1971, and set up the goal that earned them a place in the quarter-finals of the 1972–73 FA Youth Cup. He never played for Charlton's first team, but went on to appear in non-league football in the London area for clubs including Hendon, Clapton and Dulwich Hamlet.

Odeje has coached at Queens Park Rangers, worked as a teacher of physical education, and run children's soccer schools in north London.

The first time Nigerian will host the Africa Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA): 1996 in Lagos. It was also the first time the Executive Committee of ABSA was elected, replacing the inaugural appointed Executive Committee of 8 June 1990.

The Africa Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA) was formed on June 8, 1990 in Lagos, Nigeria. The founding countries, 9 in number were Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The first elected Executive Committee president of the Africa Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA): Major General Ishola Williams. He had served as the first appointed Secretary General of ABSA in 1990.

The first appointed Zonal Coordinator for the Africa Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA’s) West Africa Zone: Dr. (Mrs.) Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (1996). The zonal coordinators were responsibility for the promotion and development of the games in their respective zones of North Africa – Mohammed Ben Guiza (Tunisia), East and Central Africa Zone – Solomon Gacece (Kenya), West Africa Zone – Dr. (Mrs.) Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (Nigeria) and Southern Africa Zone – Edwin Bennett.

The first time Nigeria participated in the ‘Africa Cup Baseball Championship’: 1992 organised in Harare, Zimbabwe with only 4 countries participating. The final standings was as follows: South Africa – 1st, Zimbabwe – 2nd, Nigeria – 3rd and Zambia – 4th.

Nigeria’s first baseball medal at the All-Africa Games: Silver (1999). This was the first time Baseball featured in the All-Africa Games at the 1999 7th All-Africa Games in South Africa. The second time was in 2003 in the 8th All-Africa Games held at Abuja, Nigeria in which Nigeria lost to South Africa at the final to claim a Silver Medal.

The players: Victor Achakpo, Adedeji Adekunli, Adeyinaka Adewusi, Akeem Adeyemi, Godwin Agobie, Toba Elegbi, Olakunle aina, Olawale Kolawole, Emmanuel Motoni, Ceaser Ofoedu, Michael Oguwuche, Michael Okoli, Wande Olabisi, Emmanuel Oladinni, Gbenga Olayemi, Joseph Olayemi, Victor Owoyokun, Sunday Twaki

The first Nigerian Tennis Players to represent Nigeria at the Olympics: Nduka Odizor, Tony Mmoh, and Sadiq Abdullahi represented Nigeria at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, although, all of them lost in the early rounds.

The first Nigerian to score two goals at a World Cup competition: Daniel Amokachi (USA ’94). He scored his first goal against Bulgaria at Nigeria’s first game at the FIFA finals competition on 21^st June 1994 (Nigeria won 3-0 against Bulgaria, the largest win ever for an African Nation in a World Cup) at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas. Amokachi’s second goal was scored against Greece on 30^th June 1994, also at the stage Group (Nigeria won 2-0 against Greece) at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough. Amokachi is also the first Nigerian to give away a ‘throw in’ at a FIFA World Cup final competition (1.14mins). Nigeria’s first corner kick at a FIFA World Cup final competition was produced by Daniel Amokachi against Zlatko Yankov of Bulgaria (13.38mins)

The first Nigerian to have a ‘throw in’ at a FIFA World Cup final competition: Augustine Eguavoen (2.06mins)

The first Nigerian to score at a FIFA finals World Cup round of 16 (Knock-out Stage): Emanuel Amunike. He scored at the 25^th minute against Italy on 5 July 1994. Nigeria lost 2-1 when the game went into extra time from a Roberto Baggio-inspired Italy goal (through penalty) at the 102^nd minute. Amunike is the second Nigerian to score two goals at the FIFA finals World Cup competition, with his first goal recorded against Bulgaria at the competition on 21st June 1994 (Nigeria won 3-0 against Bulgaria) at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas. He is also the first Nigerian to receive a Yellow Card at a FIFA finals World Cup at the 73^rd minute against Bulgaria on 21 June 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas stadium. Nigeria won 3-0. Amunike is also the first Nigerian to kick the ball at a FIFA World Cup final competition.

The first Nigerian to be awarded a free kick at a FIFA World Cup final competition: Samson Siasia (2.17mins)

The first Nigerian to give away a corner-kick at a FIFA World Cup final competition: Chidi Nwanu (30.52mins) after a challenge on Hristo Stoitchkov (Bulgaria)

Nigeria's first ‘Play Assist’ at a FIFA finals World Cup competition: Finidi George at the 21^st minute in Nigeria’s first FIFA finals world cup USA 1994 competition. His assist earned Rashidi Yekini as Nigeria’s first FIFA finals World Cup goal scorer.

Referee in Nigeria's first Match at a FIFA final World Cup competition: Rodrigo Badilla Sequeira (Costa Rica) at the Nigeria Vs Bulgaria match on 21 June 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas stadium.

Linesmen in Nigeria's first Match at a FIFA final World Cup competion: Eugene Brazzale (Australia); Gordon Peter Dunster (Australia) at the Nigeria Vs Bulgaria match on 21 June 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas stadium.

4^th Official in Nigeria's first Match at a FIFA final World Cup competion: Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates) at the Nigeria Vs Bulgaria match on 21 June 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas stadium.

Attendance in Nigeria's first Match at a FIFA final World Cup competion: 44,132 on 21 June 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas stadium

The first player to receive a Red Card against Nigeria at a FiFA final World Cup completion: Gianfranco Zola for Italy at the USA ’94 competition (Second round - July 5, 1994)

The first Nigerian to receive a Red Card at a FIFA World Cup competition: Sani Kaita, at the 33^rd minute of Nigeria’s first round match against Greece at the South Africa 2010 on 17 June 2010. He thus became the 148^th player to collect a Red Card at a FIFA football competition. The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup which took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010.

The first player to receive a Yellow Card against Nigeria at a FIFA finals World Cup Competition: Yordan Letchkov (Bulgarian) at the 54^th Minute during the Nigeria-Bulgaria (3-0) game on 21 June 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas stadium.

The first Nigerian to receive a Yellow Card at the Round of 16 (Knock-Out) stages of a FIFA finals World Cup: Michael Emenalo at the 2^nd minute of Nigeria’s match against Italy, held at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Boston on 5 July 1994.

The first player to receive a Yellow Card against Nigeria at the Round of 16 (Knock-Out) stages of a FIFA finals World Cup: Daniele Massaro (Italy) at the 6^th minute, held at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Boston on 5 July 1994. The stadium attendance was 54,367.

Referee in Nigeria's first Round of 16 (Knock-Out) stages of a FIFA finals World Cup: Arturo Brizio Carter (Mexico) at the Nigeria Vs Italy match held at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Boston on 5 July 1994. The stadium attendance was 54,367.

Linesmen at Nigeria's first Round of 16 (Knock-Out) stages of a FIFA finals World Cup: Ernesto Carlos Taibi (Argentina); Venancio Concepcio Zarate (Paraguay) at the Nigeria Vs Italy match held at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Boston on 5 July 1994. The stadium attendance was 54,367.

4^th Official at Nigeria's first Round of 16 (Knock-Out) stages of a FIFA finals World Cup: Alberto Tejada Noriega (Peru) at the Nigeria Vs Italy match held at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Boston on 5 July 1994. The stadium attendance was 54,367.

The first Football Manager against Nigeria at the Round of 16 (Knock-out) stages of the FIFA finals World Cup: Arrigo Sacchi for Italy at USA 1994 at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Boston on 5 July 1994. The stadium attendance was 54,367. He was born on 01 Apr 1946.

The first Football Manager against Nigeria at the Round of 16 (Knock-out) stages of the FIFA finals World Cup: Dimitar Penev for Bulgaria on 21 June 1994 at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas stadium. The stadium attendance was 44,132. He was on 12 Jul 1945.

Captain of the first Nigerian team to play at a FIFA finals world Cup: Peter Rufai (USA 1994)

Born in Lagos, Rufai started his career in Nigeria playing with Stationery Stores F.C. and Femo Scorpions. In 1986 he moved to Benin, with AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé.

Rufai played 65 international matches for Nigeria, and represented the nation at two FIFA World Cups, always as starter: 1994 (Nigeria's first ever appearance, where he also acted as captain) and 1998, also helping the Super Eagles win the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

On 24 July 1993, during a CAN qualifier against Ethiopia, Rufai scored his country's last goal from a penalty kick, in a 6–0 home win.

In 2003 Rufai returned to Spain, settling in the country and opening a goalkeeper's school.

First Nigerian team to play in the round of 16 (Knock-Out) stages of a FIFA finals World Cup (USA 1994): NUMBER - POSITION - PLAYERS - AGE - D.O.B. - CLUB

1 GK Peter Rufai (c) -30 years - 24 Aug 1963 Go Ahead Eagles (NED)

2 DF Augustine Eguavoen - 28 years - 19 Aug 1965 Kortrijk (BEL)

5 DF Uche Okechukwu - 26 years - 27 Sep 1967 Fenerbahce (TUR)

6 DF Chidi Nwanu - 27 years - 01 Jan 1967 RSC Anderlecht (BEL)

19 DF Michael Emenalo - 28 years - 14 Jul 1965 (no club)

10 MD Augustine Okocha - 20 years - 14 Aug 1973 Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)

15 MD Sunday Oliseh - 19 years - 14 Sep 1974 RC Liege (BEL)

7 FW Finidi George - 23 years - 15 Apr 1971 Ajax (NED)

9 FW Rashidi Yekini - 30 years - 23 Oct 1963 Vitoria Setubal (POR)

11 FW Emmanuel Amunike - 23 years - 25 Dec 1970 Zamalek (EGY)

14 FW Daniel Amokachi - 21 years - 30 Dec 1972 Club Brügge (BEL)

Substitutes

8 MD Oliha Thompson - 25 years - 04 Oct 1968 Africa Sports (CIV)

21 MD Mutiu Adepoju - 23 years - 22 Dec 1970 Racing Santander (SPA)

Coach: Clemens Westerhof (NED) - 54 years - 03 May 1940

First team to play against Nigeria in the round of 16 (Knock-Out) stages of a FIFA finals World Cup (USA 1994): ITALY. NUMBER – POSITION- PLAYER - AGE - D.O.B. - CLUB

12 GK Luca Marchegiani - 28 years - 22 Feb 1966 Lazio

3 DF Antonio Benarrivo - 25 years - 21 Aug 1968 Parma

4 DF Alessandro Costacurta - 28 years - 24 Apr 1966 AC Milan

5 DF Paolo Maldini (c) - 26 years - 26 Jun 1968 AC Milan

8 DF Roberto Mussi - 30 years - 25 Aug 1963 Torino

11 MD Demetrio Albertini - 22 years - 23 Aug 1971 AC Milan

14 MD Nicola Berti - 27 years - 14 Apr 1967 Internazionale

16 MD Roberto Donadoni - 30 years - 09 Sep 1963 AC Milan

10 FW Roberto Baggio - 27 years - 18 Feb 1967 Juventus

19 FW Daniele Massaro - 33 years - 23 May 1961 AC Milan

20 FW Giuseppe Signori - 26 years - 17 Feb 1968 Lazio

Substitutes

13 MD Dino Baggio - 22 years - 24 Jul 1971 Juventus

21 MD Gianfranco Zola - 28 years - 05 Jul 1966 Parma

Coach: Arrigo Sacchi - 48 years - 01 Apr 1946

First Nigerian team to play in a FIFA World Cup final (USA 1994): NUMBER - POSITION - PLAYERS - AGE - D.O.B. - CLUB

1 GK Peter Rufai (c) - 30 years - 24 Aug 1963 - Go Ahead Eagles (NED)

2 DF Augustine Eguavoen - 28 years - 19 Aug 1965 - Kortrijk (BEL)

3 DF Benedict Iroha - 24 years - 29 Nov 1969 - Vitesse Arnhem (NED)

5 DF Uche Okechukwu - 26 years 27 Sep 1967 - Fenerbahce (TUR)

6 DF Chidi Nwanu - 27 years - 01 Jan 1967 - RSC Anderlecht (BEL)

12 MD Samson Siasia - 26 years - 14 Aug 1967 - Nantes (FRA)

15 MD Sunday Oliseh - 19 years - 14 Sep 1974 - RC Liege (BEL)

7 FW Finidi George - 23 years -15 Apr 1971 - Ajax (NED)

9 FW Rashidi Yekini - 30 years - 23 Oct 1963 - Vitoria Setubal (POR)

11 FW Emmanuel Amunike - 23 years - 25 Dec 1970 - Zamalek (EGY)

14 FW Daniel Amokachi - 21 years - 30 Dec 1972 - Club Brügge (BEL)

Substitutes

13 DF Emeka Ezeugo - 28 years - 16 Dec 1965 - Honved (HUN)

21 MD Mutiu Adepoju - 23 years - 22 Dec 1970 - Racing Santander (SPA)

Coach: Clemens Westerhof (NED) 54 years - 03 May 19 40

First team to play against Nigeria in FIFA finals World Cup (USA 1994): BULGARIA. NUMBER – POSITION- PLAYER - AGE - D.O.B. - CLUB

1 GK Borislav Mikhailov (c) - 31 years - 12 Feb 1963 - Mulhouse (FRA)

2 DF Emil Kremenliev - 24 years - 13 Aug 1969 - Levski Sofia

3 DF Trifon Ivanov - 28 years - 27 Jul 1965 - Neuchatel Xamax (SWI)

4 DF Tzanko Tzvetanov - 24 years - 06 Jan 1970 - Levski Sofia

5 DF Petar Houbtchev - 30 years - 26 Feb 1964 - Hamburger SV (GER)

6 MD Zlatko Yankov - 27 years - 07 Jun 1966 - Levski Sofia

9 MD Yordan Letchkov - 26 years - 19 Jul 1967 - Hamburger SV (GER)

11 MD Daniel Borimirov - 24 years - 15 Jan 1970 - Levski Sofia

20 MD Krassimir Balakov - 28 years - 29 Mar 1966 - Sporting Lisbon (POR)

7 FW Emil Kostadinov - 26 years - 12 Aug 1967 - FC Porto (POR)

8 FW Hristo Stoitchkov - 28 years - 08 Feb 1966 - Barcelona (SPA)

Substitutes

13 MD Ivailo Yordanov - 26 years - 22 Apr 1968 - Sporting Lisbon (POR)

10 FW Nasko Sirakov - 32 years - 26 Apr 1962 - Levski Sofia

Coach: Dimitar Penev - 48 years - 12 Jul 1945

The first Nigerian Green Eagles player to sign for a European first division team: Christian Nwokocha for Sporting F.C Portugal (Sep. 1980). Nwokocha came on to start the second half as a substitute for new club Sporting Lisbon in a 1-1 exhibition draw with the touring New York Cosmos - the reigning champions in the North American Soccer League — at the old Estadio Jose Alvalade in the capital city of Portugal

Sporting was one of the founding members of the Primeira Liga in 1933 and, together with Benfica and Porto, it has never been relegated from the First Division of Portuguese football. Sporting is one of the most successful Portuguese football clubs with 44 titles in Portuguese Domestic competitions and 1 International title.

The first Nigerian to play at the US Open finals: Lawrence Gbadura Awopegba (1965 US Open) (Place/court: Forest Hills, NY/West Side Tennis Club)

Round 1: Fox, Allen E. d. Awopegba, Lawrence (6-1 6-4 6-0)

The first Nigerian to play at the Wimbledon Qualifying Competitions: Lawrence Gbadura Awopegba

(1967 Wimbledon Southern Qualifying) (Place/court: Roehampton)

Round 1: Ginman, Sven d. Awopegba, Lawrence (6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3)

Qualifiers are the winners of the qualifying competitions staged at the Bank of England Sports Ground at Roehampton the week before The Championships. Players entering the singles events must play three rounds on grass. Unlike The Championships, there is no single 'winner' of Qualifying, instead the players who win all three rounds - 16 in the Gentlemen's Singles and 12 in the Ladies' Singles - will progress, along with four pairs in each of the Ladies' and Men's Doubles events.

Lucky losers are losers from the final round of qualifying competitions to fill any vacancy which occurs in the draw before the first round has been completed.

Highest Ranked Nigerian Tennis Player: Nduka Duke Odizor (Highest ranking No. 52 on 11 June 1984). Nduka Odizor (born 9 August 1958, in Lagos) is a former tennis player from Nigeria, who represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, where he was defeated in the first round by American lucky loser Robert Seguso. The right-hander won one career title in singles (Taipei, 1983) and seven doubles titles. He reached his highest ATP singles ranking of World No. 52 in June 1984. His highest doubles ranking is No. 20 on 27 August 1984.

He was also the first Nigerian and Sub-Saharan African Tennis player to get to the quarter finals at the Wimbledon 1983 Open Grand Slam on 20 June 1983 when he played against Christopher John Lewis and lost 6-1 6-3 6-3.

Nigeria played its first official Football game in October 1949, while still a British colony. The team played warm up games in England against various amateur teams like Dulwich Hamlet, Bishop Auckland and South Liverpool. Nigeria’s National Football Team was named ‘the Red Devils’ pre-independence, the name of the team, changed to Green Eagles after independence, originated from the country's coat of arms that has an eagle perched atop a shield. In 1994 the 'Green Eagles' gave way once again to 'Super Eagles' after the national team conquered the rest of Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations and also qualified for the World Cup for the first time, however, some claim the change of name was as early as 1988 when the Eagles got to the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations and lost to Cameroon (Credit: Segun Odegbami - 27/02/2012).

The first African Nation ranked in FIFA’s Top Five in the World: Nigeria. During April 1994, ‘Super Eagles’ ranked 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, the highest ranking achieved by an African football team

The first African and First indigenous coach to lead Nigeria to the FIFA World Cup finals: Adegboyu Festus Onigbinde at the 2002 Korea/Japan finals. It was the first time Nigeria did not qualify for the second round of the tournament. Nigeria played its first match against Argentina on 2 June 2002 (2:30pm) at Ibaraki, Ibaraki Kashima Stadium. The squad consisted of (Position Played; Name; DOB; Club Played for:

1 GK Ike Shorunmu - 16 Oct 1967 - Lucerne (SWI)

2 DF Joseph Yobo - 06 Sep 1980 - Olympique Marseille (FRA)

3 DF Celestine Babayaro - 29 Aug 1978 - Chelsea (ENG)

4 FW Nwankwo Kanu - 01 Aug 1976 - Arsenal (ENG)

5 DF Isaac Okoronkwo - 01 May 1978 - Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

6 DF Taribo West - 26 Mar 1974 - 1.FC Kaiserslautern (GER)

7 FW Pius Ikedia - 11 Jul 1980 - Ajax (NED)

8 MD Mutiu Adepoju - 22 Dec 1970 - Salamanca (SPA)

9 FW Bartholomew Ogbeche - 01 Oct 1984 - Paris St Germain (FRA)

10 MD Augustine Okocha - 14 Aug 1973 - Paris St Germain (FRA)

11 MD Garba Lawal - 22 May 1974 - Roda Kerkrade (NED)

12 GK Austin Ejide - 08 Apr 1984 - Gabros International

13 DF Rabiu Afolabi - 18 Apr 1980 - Standard Liege (BEL)

14 DF Ifeanyi Udeze - 21 Jul 1980 - PAOK Saloniki (GRE)

15 MD Justice Christopher - 24 Dec 1981 - Royal Antwerp (BEL)

16 DF Efetobore Sodje - 05 Oct 1972 - Crewe Alexandra (ENG)

17 FW Julius Aghahowa - 12 Feb 1982 - Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

18 FW Benedict Akwuegbu - 03 Nov 1974 - Shenyang Haishi (CHN)

19 DF Eric Ejiofor - 21 Jul 1979 - Maccabi Haifa (ISR)

20 MD James Obiorah - 24 Aug 1978 - Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS)

21 FW John Utaka - 08 Jan 1982 - Al-Saad (QAT)

22 GK Vincent Enyeama - 29 Aug 1982 - Enyimba

23 FW Femi Opabunmi - 03 Mar 1985 - SC Ibadan

Coach: Adegboye Onigbinde - 05 Mar 1938

The first FIFA World Cup finals match won by Nigeria: USA 1994, Nigeria – Bulgaria (3 – 0), played at Dallas, Cotton Bowl Stadium on 21 June 1994 (18:30). Attendance was 44,132. The goals scored were 21' 1-0 Rashidi Yekini (assist - Finidi George), 43' 2-0 Daniel Amokachi (assist - Rashidi Yekini) and 55' 3-0 Emmanuel Amunike (assist - Finidi George).

The first FIFA World Cup finals match Nigeria played a draw in:Korea/Japan 2002, Nigeria – England (0 – 0), played at Osaka, Osaka Nagai Stadium on 12 June 2002 (3:30pm). Attendance was 44,864.

The first FIFA World Cup finals match Nigeria lost: USA 1994, Argentina – Nigeria (2 – 1), played at Boston, Foxboro Stadium on June 25th 1994 (16:00). Attendance was 54,453. The goals scored were 8' 0-1 Samson Siasia (assist - Rashidi Yekini), 22' 1-1 Claudio Caniggia and 29' 2-1 Claudio Caniggia (assist - Diego Maradona).

The first FIFA World Cup finals match Nigeria played and lost at the round of 16: USA 1994, Nigeria – Italy (1 – 2), played at Boston, Foxboro Stadium on 5 July 1994 (13:00). Attendance was 54,367. The goals scored were 26' 1-0 Emmanuel Amunike, 89' 1-1 Roberto Baggio (assist - Roberto Mussi) and 102' 1-2 Roberto Baggio (penalty).

The first foreign coach not to take Nigeria to the knock-out stages of the FIFA World Cup competition: Lars Lagerbäck of Sweden in South Africa 2010. Nigeria played against Argentina (0 – 1), Greece (1 – 2) and South Korea (2 – 2).

The first African to captain Everton FC: Joseph Phillip Yobo (born 6 September 1980) for the UEFA Cup match against Larissa of Greece on 25 October 2007 in the absence of Phil Neville. Yobo joined Everton on loan from Marseille in July 2002. A £1 million fee was required to register him, and thus became the first signing of David Moyes as Everton FC Manager after Moyes joined the club in March 2002.

In Nigeria’s last group match game on 25 June 2014 at the Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre against Argentina, Yobo became the first Nigerian man to earn 100 caps representing his country, joining FIFA’s exclusive Century Club. He joins Maureen Mmadu, former Super Falcons player who is the first Nigerian to earn 100 caps for her country.

The first goalkeeper to be named French Ligue 1 African Player of the Season: Vincent Enyeama (born 29 August 1982). He is also the first Nigerian to win the Marc-Vivien Foe prize, named after the Cameroon international midfielder who died aged 28 of a heart attack in 2003.

In June 2011 Enyeama moved to French side Lille Olympique Sporting Club (LOSC) for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract. He made his debut on 18 October 2011 against Inter Milan in the 2012 UEFA Champions League group stage, where Inter managed a 1–0 victory.

Enyeama kept 11 consecutive clean sheets in Ligue 1 matches during the first half of the 2013-14 season.

The first Nigeria player to ever score twice in a World Cup match: Ahmed Musa (born 14 October 1992). He equalised twice against Argentina as Nigeria lost 3-2 in their last group match game on 25 June 2014 at the Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre. He plays for CSKA Moscow and his goal at 4mins 47seconds is Nigeria's fastest-ever goal at a FIFA World Cup finals competition.

Musa is an Aminchi Football Academy product. In his second professional year on loan at Kano Pillars, he scored 18 goals in 25 games seting a record in the Nigeria Premier League.

The first time Africa will have two teams in the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup finals: Algeria and Nigeria (Brazil 2014).

The first African woman to complete the sprint doubles of 100m and 200m at a Commonwealth Games:Blessing Okagbare at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. She won Gold in both events which happened to also be her first Commonwealth games appearance. Okagbare is the 11th person and the first African to win the sprint double in a single Commonwealth Games in either men or women events. She won the Women’s 100m sprint event with a new Commonwealth games record time of 10.85s, and the Women’s 200m event in 22.25s.

Dr. Uduaghan, governor of Delta State had single handedly taken up the Delta State-born star athlete’s sponsorship which climaxed with the approval of a three-year training grant of $360,000.

The first Nigerian to win a medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games: Nkechi Opara. She won bronze on the first day of events (23 July 2014) in the Women’s Weightlifting 48kg category

The first Nigerian to win a Gold Medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games: Chika Amalaha. She won gold in the Women’s Weightlifting 53kg category on 23 July 2014.