The Nigerian men's national under-20 football team represents Nigeria in men's international football also known as the Nigeria Under-20s or nicknamed the Flying Eagles. The Flying Eagles is the youth team for the national soccer in Nigeria. It plays a large role in the development of Nigerian football, and is considered the feeder team for the senior team. It is controlled by the Nigerian Football Federation. The team has won a record seven African U-20 Cup of Nations titles and are also two-times runners-up of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
| Nickname | Flying Eagles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Nigeria Football Association | ||
| Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
| Sub-confederation | WAFU (West Africa) | ||
| Head coach | Aliyu Zubairu | ||
| Home stadium | Agege Stadium | ||
| FIFA code | NGA | ||
| |||
| FIFA U-20 World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 13 (first in 1983) | ||
| Best result | Runners-up (1989, 2005) | ||
| Africa U-20 Cup of Nations | |||
| Appearances | 18 (first in 1978–79) | ||
| Best result | Champions (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015) | ||
| WAFU Zone B U-20 Tournament | |||
| Appearances | 3 (first in 2018) | ||
| Best result | Champions (2022) | ||
Competitive record
FIFA U-20 World Cup record
| FIFA U-20 World Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
| 1977 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1979 | ||||||||
| 1981 | ||||||||
| 1983 | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 1985 | Third place | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | |
| 1987 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |
| 1989 | Runners-up | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1991 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1993 | ||||||||
| 1995 | ||||||||
| 1997 | ||||||||
| 1999 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | |
| 2001 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2003 | ||||||||
| 2005 | Runners-up | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2007 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | |
| 2009 | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2011 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | |
| 2013 | Round of 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 | ||
| 2017 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2019 | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | |
| 2023 | Quarter-finals | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | |
| 2025 | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | |
| 2027 | To be determined | |||||||
| Total | 14/24 | 65 | 27 | 12 | 26 | 94 | 83 | |
Africa U-20 Cup of Nations record
| Africa U-20 Cup of Nations | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
| 1977 | Did not enter | |||||||
| 1979 | Semi-finalists | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 1981 | Semi-finalists | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 |
| 1983 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 7 |
| 1985 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 8 |
| 1987 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 9 |
| 1989 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 6 |
| 1991 | Did not enter | |||||||
| 1993 | Group stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
| 1997 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1999 | Second place | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 |
| 2001 | Group stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 2003 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2005 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 2007 | Second place | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2009 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| 2011 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 |
| 2013 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
| 2015 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 |
| 2017 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2019 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2021 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2023 | Third place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| Total | 18/23 | 7 titles | 97 | 56 | 14 | 27 | 151 | 90 |
A gold background colour indicates that Nigeria won the tournament.
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
*There was no third place match from 1979-1989.
Team honours and achievements
Intercontinental
Continental
- Africa U-20 Cup of Nations
- Football at the African Games
- Silver medal: 2019
Sub-Continental
- WAFU U-20
- Silver: 2018
- Quarterfinals: 2008
Staff
- Head Coach: Aliyu Zubairu
- First Assistant Coach: Usman Garba Suleiman
- Second Assistant Coach: Emeka Uzoma
- Scout: Hubert Okeke
- Goalkeepers' Trainer: Babajide Adegoke
Current squad
The following players were named in the squad for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, to be played 27 April – 18 May 2025.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Ebenezer Harcourt | 9 October 2009 | 0 | 0 | Sporting Lagos |
| 16 | GK | Abubakar Rufai | 5 January 2008 | 0 | 0 | Mavlon |
| 23 | GK | Ajia Yakub | 1 April 2005 | 0 | 0 | Novi Pazar |
| 2 | DF | Ba Abba Maigari | 1 June 2006 | 0 | 0 | El-Kanemi Warriors |
| 3 | DF | Odinaka Okoro | 1 January 2007 | 0 | 0 | Sporting Lagos |
| 5 | DF | Chigozie Ihejiofor | 0 | 0 | Katsina United | |
| 6 | DF | Daniel Bameyi | 4 January 2006 | 11 | 0 | Bayelsa United |
| 22 | DF | Emmanuel Chukwu | 7 November 2006 | 0 | 0 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| 4 | MF | Caleb Ochedikwu | 2 September 2005 | 2 | 0 | Uljanik Pula |
| 8 | MF | Suleiman Alabi | 5 December 2005 | 0 | 0 | El-Kanemi Warriors |
| 10 | MF | Israel Isaac Ayuma | 8 August 2005 | 0 | 0 | Istra 1961 |
| 14 | MF | Simon Karshe Cletus | 10 February 2008 | 0 | 0 | Mavlon |
| 15 | MF | Auwal Ibrahim | 26 January 2006 | 0 | 0 | Akwa United |
| 17 | MF | Adamu Shafiu Duguri | 20 June 2006 | 0 | 0 | Wikki Tourists |
| 24 | MF | Yushau Armiyau | 18 October 2006 | 0 | 0 | Katsina United |
| 7 | FW | Clinton Jephta | 21 October 2006 | 0 | 0 | Enyimba |
| 9 | FW | Kparobo Arierhi | 11 January 2007 | 0 | 0 | Lillestrøm |
| 11 | FW | Bidemi Amole | 10 November 2008 | 0 | 0 | Real Sapphire |
| 12 | FW | Precious Benjamin | 1 October 2006 | 0 | 0 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| 13 | FW | Divine Oliseh | 13 September 2007 | 0 | 0 | Unknown |
| 18 | FW | Rickson Theophilus Mendos | 18 November 2006 | 0 | 0 | Niger Tornadoes |
| 19 | FW | Ezekiel Anthony Kpangu | 21 April 2006 | 0 | 0 | Ijele |
| 20 | FW | Matthew Kingsley | 26 November 2006 | 0 | 0 | Unknown |
| 21 | FW | Tahir Maigana | 30 June 2008 | 0 | 0 | Unknown |
Former coaches
- Christopher Udemezue (July 1, 1982 – June 30, 1987/1988)
- Paul Hamilton (July 1, 1985 – June 30, 1986)
- Olatunde Nurudeen Disu (1987–1997)
- Thijs Libregts (July 1, 1998 – June 30, 1999)
- Samson Siasia (January 1, 2005 – March 26, 2007; June 30, 2009)
- Ladan Bosso (2007–2009)
- John Obuh (July 1, 2010 – February 1, 2013)
- Emmanuel Amunike (July 1, 2014 – November 1, 2017)
- Paul Aigbogun (January 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020)
- Ladan Bosso (2020 - 2024)
Head-to-head record
The following table shows Nigeria's head-to-head record in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
| Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 50.00 |
| Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 100.00 |
| Brazil | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 15 | −13 | 0.00 |
| Canada | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 50.00 |
| Chile | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0.00 |
| Costa Rica | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 50.00 |
| Croatia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 100.00 |
| Cuba | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 100.00 |
| Czech Republic | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +0 | 0.00 |
| Dominican Republic | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100.00 |
| England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 100.00 |
| France | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 0.00 |
| Germany | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | +0 | 33.33 |
| Guatemala | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 100.00 |
| Hungary | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 |
| Italy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | +0 | 50.00 |
| Japan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 |
| Mali | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0.00 |
| Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100.00 |
| Morocco | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 100.00 |
| Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +0 | 0.00 |
| North Korea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 100.00 |
| Paraguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
| Portugal | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0.00 |
| Qatar | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 100.00 |
| Republic of Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +0 | 0.00 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 100.00 |
| Scotland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 |
| Senegal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
| South Korea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 33.33 |
| Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | +0 | 25.00 |
| Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0.00 |
| Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 100.00 |
| Tahiti | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 100.00 |
| Ukraine | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 50.00 |
| United States | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 50.00 |
| Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
| Venezuela | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.00 |
| Zambia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100.00 |
| Total | 61 | 26 | 11 | 24 | 90 | 75 | +15 | 42.62 |
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