Ex-Super Eagles star Aiyegbeni on how Okocha, Amokachi inspired his World Cup dream

Aiyegbeni, one of Nigeria’s most prolific goalscorers in the 21st century, represented Nigeria in one World Cup. The former Everton star was one of the 23 players who represented the Super Eagles at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The World Cup is a dream for every player, and for Aiyegbeni, it was no different. However, it was only possible because he watched the golden generation of 1994-1998.

Like any other player who played for the Super Eagles from the 2000s till now, Aiyegbeni was influenced by the likes of Okocha, Kanu and Amokachi, who were part of Nigeria’s golden generation.

Speaking in an exclusive interview that Pulse Sports Nigeria obtained from FIFA, Aiyegbeni revealed he was motivated to play for Nigeria in the biggest sporting event on the planet earth after watching Okocha and Amokachi at the 1994 World Cup.

“My first memory is when I watched ex-players at the 1994 World Cup,” Aiyegbeni said.

“You know, I was quite little, and it gave me back the memories. It’s a tournament where everyone wants to be, everyone wants to play.

As a sportsman, you want to be at the World Cup. Growing up, watching Daniel Amokachi, Augustine Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu, players like this, I always said to myself “I want to be part of that, to be a player and play at the World Cup.”

You know, it’s my motivation. As a player, you want to play at the World Cup.

It’s a big stage, a tournament everyone is looking up to. Everyone around the world is going to be watching.

For me, to watch those guys and also play for the Nigerian national team, and also to be at a World Cup, is an honour. It’s like a dream come true.

Aiyegbeni singled out Amokachi, saying the former Everton man motivated him because he was his idol, even though he never met him.

I never met them before. I always saw them on TV. When I saw them on TV, it was a motivation for me,” Aiyegbeni continued. Growing up, watching Amokachi… Amokachi was one of my idols back then in Nigeria, someone I was looking up to. People think we play similar football, the way we fight our way, and we try to bully our way into the game.

People always talk about us playing the same football. Amokachi was a mentor. Watching him, I wanted to be like this guy. So, it’s an honour to be there at the World Cup, watching this guy. It’s a big motivation for me.

Although Aiyegbeni achieved his dream, he encountered some disappointments along the way. He was left out of the 2002 World Cup squad while Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2006 edition.

Aiyegbeni finally made his World Cup bow in South Africa in 2010- the first and only time Africa hosted it. However, his tournament ended in disappointment as Nigeria crashed out in the group stage.

For Aiyegbeni, it was a tournament he famously missed an open goal- a miss that still haunts Nigerians today. Still, Aiyebeni will always cherish the memory he got from South Africa, saying it was a dream to play against some players.

“I was unlucky. When I say I was unlucky, I mean because I was supposed to be at the Japan/South Korea World Cup in 2002. I didn’t make the team, then I made the team in South Africa for the World Cup in 2010.

“It was like a dream come true. This is what I’d been dreaming of all my life. I wanted to play at the World Cup. To be part of the Nigeria team that went to South Africa in 2010, to play against one of the best players in the world – I played against Lionel Messi, you know.

“For me, to be part of the Nigeria team that went to the World Cup in South Africa was a dream come true for me,” Aiyegbeni said.

South Africa 2010 turned out to be Aiyebgeni’s only World Cup tournament, but it was enough to fulfil a dream he dreamt of as a young boy.