Nigeria has been engaged in the game of football professionally since the colonial times.
Football originated in England, Nigeria’s colonial masters in the early eighteenth century so it was natural that their colonies will be introduced to the game.
With the British colonialists who facilitated many Nigerians travelling to Europe, especially England Nigeria became acquainted to the game of football as far back as 1885.
However, the first ever recorded football match in Nigeria was in 1904 from where Nigeria started taking football serious and by 1950, football has become a professional game in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s first president and nationalist, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the key figure in professionlising football and other sports in Nigeria.
Dr. Azikiwe established the Zik’s Athletic Club (ZAC) in Lagos in 1938 as a response to the racist attitude of colonialist against Nigerian sportsmen and women.
ZAC had facilities and equipment for many sports such including football, boxing, and tennis. The establishment of ZAC quickly became a rallying point for Nigeria’s quest for end of colonialism as many club members converged as talked about the struggle, during and after their various games.
Football then developed and became the most popular sports among Nigerians and by 1949, Nigeria appointed its first National football coach.
Bellow is the full list of Nigeria national football coaches till date:
John Finch (England) – 1949
Daniel Anyiam (Nigeria) – 1954-1956; 1964-1965
Les Courtier (England) – 1956-1960
Moshe Beit Halevi (Israel) – 1960-1961
George Vardar (Hungary) – 1961-1963
Joey Blackwell (England) – 1963 – 1964
József Ember (Hungary) – 1965-1968
Sabino Barinaga (Spain) – 1968-1969
Peter ‘Eto’ Amaechina (Nigeria) – 1969-1970
Karl-Heinz Marotzke (Germany) – 1970-1971; 1974
Jorge Penna (Brazil) – 1972-1973
Jelisavčić ‘Father Tiko’ Tihomir (Yugoslavia) – 1974-1978
Otto Glória (Brazil) – 1979-1982
Gottlieb Göller (Germany) – 1981
Adegboye Onigbinde (Nigeria) – 1983-1984; 2002
Chris Udemezue (Nigeria) – 1984-1986
Patrick Ekeji (Nigeria) – 1985
Paul Hamilton (Nigeria) – 1987; 1989
Manfred Höner (Germany) – 1988-1989
Clemens Westerhof (Netherlands) – 1989-1994
Amodu Shaibu (Nigeria) – 1994-1995; 1996-1997; 2001-2002; 2008-2010
Johannes Bonfrere (Netherlands) – 1995-1996; 1999-2001
Philippe Troussier (France) – 1997
Monday Sinclair (Nigeria) – 1997-1998
Bora Milutinović (Yugoslavia) – 1998
Thijs Libregts (Netherlands) – 1999
Christian Chukwu (Nigeria) – 2002-2005
Augustine Eguavoen (Nigeria) – 2005-2007; 2010; 2022
Berti Vogts (Germany) – 2007-2008
Lars Lagerbäck (Sweden) – 2010
Samson Siasia (Nigeria) – 2010-2011; 2016
Stephen Keshi (Nigeria) – 2011-2014; 2015
Sunday Oliseh (Nigeria) – 2015-2016
Gernot Rohr (Germany) – 2016-2021
José Peseiro (Portugal) – 2022-2024
Finidi George (Nigeria) – 2024
Bruno Labbadia (Germany) – 2024-?