Stodgy Nigeria are lacking star quality

Manager Gernot Rohr

More talented Nigeria teams have taken part in World Cups than the current crop and expectations have been much higher but Africa's most populous country qualified easily enough from a group containing Cameroon and Algeria.

German coach Gernot Rohr, best known for leading a Bordeaux side with Zinedine Zidane in their ranks to the Uefa Cup final in 1996, has built a Super Eagles team where the collective is superior to the indiviudal names.

How they would love a Kanu or an Okocha as they look to go beyond the last 16 for the first time, though.

Instead the likely midfield of Wilfred Ndidi, John Obi Mikel and Ogenyi Onazi is stodgy and they will need to be to protect a defence lacking elite-level experience, particularly with home-based goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa wearing the gloves.

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