SkipNavigation
Spain - Nigeria

Spain - Nigeria

Date: 13 June 1998
Stadium: La Beaujoire Stadium

Nigeria and Spain needed no time to find their stride at France 1998, trading blows in a captivating five-goal game in Group D, which the Africans, twice behind, eventually edged.

More »

I Was There…

Bora Milutinovic, Nigeria coach
We brought happiness to millions of Nigerians and to those 3,000 who went to Nantes to attend the match. It was priceless. The most important thing is that we played great football, we beat a great team like Spain and I have Nigeria in my heart!

Did You Know?

<<>>
1 2 3 4 5 
  • Match-winner Sunday Oliseh retired from international football after the 1998 finals but returned for Nigeria until quitting again in 2002.
  • Albert Ferrer (Spain) and Celestine Babayaro (Nigeria) were opponents in Nantes but went on to become full-backs in the same Chelsea team.
  • Andoni Zubizarreta bowed out after being Spain’s goalkeeper at four successive FIFA World Cup™ tournaments in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998.
  • Nigeria’s Jay Jay Okocha and Spain’s Ivan Campo were on opposing sides in Nantes, though both ended up playing for Bolton Wanderers.
  • Bora Milutinovic coached five teams at the FIFA World Cup™: Mexico (1986), Costa Rica (1990), USA (1994), Nigeria (1998) and China (2002).

Classic Matches