Nigeria national under-20 football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Nigeria women's national under-20 football team.

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.

Nigeria Under-20

Nickname(s)	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
First colours Second colours
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	Qualified
Total	14/24	61	26	11	24	90	75

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

• FIFA U-20 World Cup
  • Runners-up: 1989, 2005
  • Third-place: 1985

Continental

• Africa U-20 Cup of Nations
  • Winners: 1980, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015
  • Runners-up: 1999, 2007
  • Third-place: 1979, 1981, 1995, 2009, 2013, 2023
• Football at the African Games
  • Silver medal: 2019

Sub-Continental

• WAFU U-20
  • Silver: 2018
  • Quarterfinals: 2008

Staff

• Head Coach: Aliyu Zubairu^[1]
• 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.^[2]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Ebenezer Harcourt	(2009-10-09) 9 October 2009 (age 15)	0	0	Sporting Lagos
16	1GK	Abubakar Rufai	(2008-01-05) 5 January 2008 (age 17)	0	0	Mavlon
23	1GK	Ajia Yakub	(2005-04-01) 1 April 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Novi Pazar
2	2DF	Ba Abba Maigari	(2006-06-01) 1 June 2006 (age 19)	0	0	El-Kanemi Warriors
3	2DF	Odinaka Okoro	(2007-01-01) 1 January 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Sporting Lagos
5	2DF	Chigozie Ihejiofor		0	0	Katsina United
6	2DF	Daniel Bameyi	(2006-01-04) 4 January 2006 (age 19)	11	0	Bayelsa United
22	2DF	Emmanuel Chukwu	(2006-11-07) 7 November 2006 (age 18)	0	0	1899 Hoffenheim
4	3MF	Caleb Ochedikwu	(2005-09-02) 2 September 2005 (age 19)	2	0	Uljanik Pula
8	3MF	Suleiman Alabi	(2005-12-05) 5 December 2005 (age 19)	0	0	El-Kanemi Warriors
10	3MF	Israel Isaac Ayuma	(2005-08-08) 8 August 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Istra 1961
14	3MF	Simon Karshe Cletus	(2008-02-10) 10 February 2008 (age 17)	0	0	Mavlon
15	3MF	Auwal Ibrahim	(2006-01-26) 26 January 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Akwa United
17	3MF	Adamu Shafiu Duguri	(2006-06-20) 20 June 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Wikki Tourists
24	3MF	Yushau Armiyau	(2006-10-18) 18 October 2006 (age 18)	0	0	Katsina United
7	4FW	Clinton Jephta	(2006-10-21) 21 October 2006 (age 18)	0	0	Enyimba
9	4FW	Kparobo Arierhi	(2007-01-11) 11 January 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Lillestrøm
11	4FW	Bidemi Amole	(2008-11-10) 10 November 2008 (age 16)	0	0	Real Sapphire
12	4FW	Precious Benjamin	(2006-10-01) 1 October 2006 (age 18)	0	0	1899 Hoffenheim
13	4FW	Divine Oliseh	(2007-09-13) 13 September 2007 (age 17)	0	0	Unknown
18	4FW	Rickson Theophilus Mendos	(2006-11-18) 18 November 2006 (age 18)	0	0	Niger Tornadoes
19	4FW	Ezekiel Anthony Kpangu	(2006-04-21) 21 April 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Ijele
20	4FW	Matthew Kingsley	(2006-11-26) 26 November 2006 (age 18)	0	0	Unknown
21	4FW	Tahir Maigana	(2008-06-30) 30 June 2008 (age 17)	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)