Undoubtedly, the Nigeria squad for the Atlanta 1996 Olympic football competition remains one of the very best teams the country has ever produced. Some Super Eagles squads in recent times are not even as good as this age-grade team.
The ‘Dream Team’ – as they were nicknamed back then – brought suspense to the 1996 Olympic, coming twice from behind to defeat Brazil with a 4-3 scoreline in the dying seconds of the semi-final after trailing 3-1 and beating Argentina 3-2 in the final. An Albiceleste side that boast the likes of Ariel Ortega, Claudio Lopez and Hernan Crespo.
Let me give you a glimpse of the 1996 Brazil Olympic soccer team:
(GK) Dida, (DF) Zé María, (DF) Aldair, (DF) Ronaldo Guiaro, (MF) Flávio Conceição, (DF) Roberto Carlos, (FW) Bebeto, (MF) Amaral, (MF) Juninho, (MF) Rivaldo, (FW) Sávio, (GK) Danrlei, (DF) Narciso, (MF) André Luiz, (MF) Zé Elias, (MF) Marcelinho, (FW) Luizão, (FW) Ronaldo
That’s the Brazil squad in 1996.
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Back to Atlanta 1996 Olympic Nigeria squad
The Nigeria Olympic football team 1996 coach was Dutchman Johannes Bonfrere and he was assisted by Musa Abdulahi.
FIFA and International Olympic Committee (IOC) have a rule (which began in 1992) of allowing a maximum of three over aged players (above 23) in the tournament.
Jo Bonfrere included two overaged players from the Super Eagles to provide depth and experience, i.e. Uche Okechukwu (28) and Emmanuel Amunike (25).
Also, there was this FIFA rule regarding Olympic soccer games that go into extra time, it allowed for the first team to score a goal in extra time (known as “Golden Goal”), to be declared winner.
In just about four minutes into extra time, Nwankwo Kanu won Nigeria vs Brazil 1996 semifinal for his side via the Golden Goal rule. The rest is history.
Nigeria was grouped alongside Brazil, Hungary and Japan during the first round.
Before showing you what the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Nigeria squad look like, let's see the Dream Team's lineup in every match.
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Olympics 1996 Group D
Nigeria v Hungary Starting Lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
- Defender: Uche Okechukwu
- Defender: Mobi Obaraku
- Defender/Centre back: Taribo West
- Defender/Left back: Celestine Babayaro
- Midfielder: Emmanuel Amunike
- Midfielder: Jay Jay Okocha
- Midfielder: Sunday Oliseh
- Forward: Daniel Amokachi
- Forward: Tijana Babangida
- Forward: Nwankwo Kanu
Substitutions:
- Garba Lawal for Emmanuel Amunike in the 75th minute
- Victor Ikpeba for Nwankwo Kanu in the 80th minute
Scoreline was Nigeria 1-0 Hungary and the goal was scored by Nwankwo Kanu in the 77th minute.
Nigeria v Japan Starting Lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
- Defender: Mobi Obaraku
- Defender: Uche Okechukwu
- Defender/Centre back: Taribo West
- Defender/Left back: Celestine Babayaro
- Midfielder: Emmanuel Amunike
- Midfielder: Jay Jay Okocha
- Midfielder: Sunday Oliseh
- Forward: Daniel Amokachi
- Forward: Tijana Babangida
- Forward: Nwankwo Kanu
Substitutions:
- Garba Lawal for Emmanuel Amunike in the 72th minute
- Victor Ikpeba for Nwankwo Kanu n the 86th minute
Scoreline was Nigeria 2-0 Japan and the goals were scored by Tijana Babangida in the 82nd minute and Jay-Jay Okocha via Penalty in 89th minute.
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Brazil v Nigeria Starting Lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
- Defender: Abiodun Obafemi
- Defender: Mobi Obaraku
- Defender: Uche Okechukwu
- Defender/Centre back: Taribo West
- Midfielder: Emmanuel Amunike
- Midfielder: Jay Jay Okocha
- Midfielder: Sunday Oliseh
- Forward: Daniel Amokachi
- Forward: Tijana Babangida
- Forward: Nwankwo Kanu
Substitutions:
- Garba Lawal for Abiodun Obafemi in the 47th minute
- Victor Ikpeba for Emmanuel Amunike in the 63rd minute
- Teslim Babatunde Fatusi for Tijana Babangida in the 81st minute
Scoreline was Brazil 1-0 Nigeria and the goal was scored by Ronaldo in the 30th minute.
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Olympics 1996 Quarter-final
Nigeria v Mexico Atlanta 96 Starting Lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
- Defender: Mobi Obaraku
- Defender: Uche Okechukwu
- Defender/Centre back: Taribo West
- Defender/Left back: Celestine Babayaro
- Midfielder: Emmanuel Amunike
- Midfielder: Jay Jay Okocha
- Midfielder: Sunday Oliseh
- Forward: Daniel Amokachi
- Forward: Tijana Babangida
- Forward: Nwankwo Kanu
Substitutions:
- Victor Ikpeba for Tijana Babangida in the 56th minute
- Teslim Fatusi for Nwankwo Kanu in the 67th minute
- Garba Lawal for Emmanuel Amunike in the 86th mnute
Scoreline was Nigeria 2-0 Mexico and the goals were scored by Jay-Jay Okocha in the 20th minute and Celestine Babayaro in the 85th minute.
Olympics 1996 Semi-final
This is when Nigeria beat Brazil, unlike the game during the group stages where the Dream Team fell by a lone goal. History did not repeat itself here.
Nigeria vs Brazil 1996 line up:
- Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
- Defender: Mobi Obaraku
- Defender: Uche Okechukwu
- Defender/Centre back: Taribo West
- Defender/Left back: Celestine Babayaro
- Midfielder: Emmanuel Amunike
- Midfielder: Garba Lawal
- Midfielder: Jay-Jay Okocha
- Forward: Daniel Amokachi
- Forward: Tijana Babangida
- Forward: Nwankwo Kanu
Substitutions:
- Victor Ikpeba for Emmanuel Amunike in the 46th minute
- Teslim Fatusi for Tijana Babangida in the 68th minute
- Wilson Oruma for Mobi Obaraku in the 83rd minute
Nigeria vs Brazil 1996 score was 4-3 in favor of the Dream Team and the goals were scored by:
Nigeria
- Roberto Carlos – Own Goal (20)
- Victor Ikpeba (78)
- Nwankwo Kanu (90)
- Nwankwo Kanu (93)
Brazil
- Flavio Conceicao (2)
- Bebeto (27)
- Flavio Conceicao (37)
The Brazil v Nigeria men's football semi final at Atlanta 1996 remains the best and toughest of the tournament.
You can see Nigeria vs Brazil 1996 Atlanta Olympics full match here. And f it's the highlights you want, see it here
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1996 Olympics football final
Nigeria vs Argentina 1996 line up
- Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
- Defender: Mobi Obaraku
- Defender: Uche Okechukwu
- Defender/Centre back: Taribo West
- Defender/Left back: Celestine Babayaro
- Midfielder: Jay Jay Okocha
- Midfielder: Sunday Oliseh
- Forward: Daniel Amokachi
- Forward: Tijana Babangida
- Forward: Victor Ikpeba
- Forward: Nwankwo Kanu
Substitutions:
- Garba Lawal for Jay Jay Okocha in the 59th minute
- Wilson Oruma for Mobi Obaraku in the 61st minute
- Emmanuel Amunike for Victor Ikpeba in the 72nd minute
Nigeria vs Argentina 1996 score was 3-2 in favour of the Dream Team and the goals were scored by:
Nigeria
- Celestine Babayaro (28)
- Daniel Amokachi (74)
- Emmanuel Amunike (89)
Argentina
- Claudio Lopez (3)
- Hernan Crespo – Penalty (49)
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Let's now see the FULL Nigeria Squad Atlanta 1996.
Atlanta 96 Nigeria Squad
Position | Shirt No. | Player | Country | Club | DOB |
Goalkeeper | 1 | Emmanuel Babayaro | Nigeria | Plateau United | 12/26/1976 |
19 | Abiodun Baruwa | Nigeria | Shooting Stars FC | 11/16/1974 | |
18 | Joseph Dosu | Italy | AC Reggiana | 6/19/1973 | |
Defender | |||||
2 | Celestine Babayaro | Belgium | RSC Anderlecht | 8/29/1978 | |
21 | Patrick Ndah | 11/20/1973 | |||
16 | King Obie | 11/12/1974 | |||
5 | Uche Okechukwu | Turkey | Fenerbahçe | 9/27/1967 | |
17 | Mobi Oparaku | Belgium | KFC Turnhout | 12/1/1976 | |
3 | Taribo West | France | AJ Auxerre | 3/26/1974 | |
Midfielder | |||||
9 | Teslim Fatusi | Switzerland | Servette Genève | 9/17/1977 | |
13 | Garba Lawal | Tunisia | Espérance de Tunis | 5/22/1974 | |
12 | Abiodun Obafemi | Germany | Fortuna Düsseldorf | 12/25/1973 | |
10 | Jay Jay Okocha | Turkey | Fenerbahçe | 8/14/1973 | |
15 | Sunday Oliseh | Germany | 1. FC Köln | 9/14/1974 | |
8 | Wilson Oruma | France | AS Nancy | 12/30/1976 | |
Forward | |||||
22 | Jonathan Akpoborie | Germany | Hansa Rostock | 10/20/1968 | |
14 | Daniel Amokachi | Turkey | Beşiktaş | 12/30/1972 | |
6 | Emmanuel Amunike | Portugal | Sporting CP | 12/25/1970 | |
7 | Tijjani Babangida | Netherlands | AFC Ajax | 9/25/1973 | |
11 | Victor Ikpeba | France | AS Monaco | 6/12/1973 | |
4 | Nwankwo Kanu | Italy | Inter | 8/1/1976 | |
20 | Pascal Onya | Nigeria | Shooting Stars FC | 12/24/1974 | |
Manager | |||||
Jo Bonfrere | 6/15/1946 |
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This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago