The Atlanta 96 Nigeria squad AKA The ‘Dream Team’ will forever be in our hearts. They remain the only side that ever won the Olympic Gold medal in football for Nigeria.
All thanks to Jo Bonfrere, who was the coach that led the Atlanta 1996 Nigeria squad while Nwankwo Kanu was the captain.
Some of these players were recruited from Nigeria Super Eagles USA 94 squad and at the end of the competition, some of them graduated into the Nigeria 1998 World Cup team.
The age-grade tournament was hosted in the United States of America in Atlanta in 1996.
See all the participating teams at the 1996 Olympic Football Tournaments in Atlanta that was held on July 20 and finished on August 3.
Football teams 1996 Summer Olympics
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brazil
- France
- Ghana
- Hungary
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea Republic
- Mexico
- Nigeria
- Portugal
- Saudi Arabia
- Spain
- Tunisia
- USA
Atlanta 1996 Football Results & Scores
Atlanta 1996 Football Group Results For Nigeria’s Group D
| Sunday 21/07/1996 | |||
| FT | Nigeria U23 | 1 – 0 | Hungary U23 |
| FT | Japan U23 | 1 – 0 | Brazil U23 |
| Tuesday 23/07/1996 | |||
| FT | Brazil U23 | 3 – 1 | Hungary U23 |
| FT | Nigeria U23 | 2 – 0 | Japan U23 |
| Thursday 25/07/1996 | |||
| FT | Japan U23 | 3 – 2 | Hungary U23 |
| FT | Brazil U23 | 1 – 0 | Nigeria U23 |
QUARTER-FINALS
| Saturday 27/07/1996 | |||
| FT | France U23 | 1 – 2 | Portugal U23 |
| FT | Argentina U23 | 4 – 0 | Spain U23 |
| Sunday 28/07/1996 | |||
| FT | Mexico U23 | 0 – 2 | Nigeria U23 |
| FT | Brazil U23 | 4 – 2 | Ghana U23 |
SEMI-FINALS
| Tuesday 30/07/1996 | |||
| FT | Argentina U23 | 2 – 0 | Portugal U23 |
| Wednesday 31/07/1996 | |||
| FT | Nigeria U23 | 4 – 3 | Brazil U23 |
Nigeria vs Brazil 1996 Video Highlights
3RD PLACE FINAL
| Friday 02/08/1996 | |||
| FT | Brazil U23 | 5 – 0 | Portugal U23 |
FINAL
| Saturday 03/08/1996 | |||
| FT | Nigeria U23 | 3 – 2 | Argentina U23 |
Atlanta 1996 Nigeria Vs Argentina Video Highlights
See the lineup of every Nigeria match at the 1996 Olympics football game below.
1996 Nigeria Vs. Hungary Lineup (1 – 0)
Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
Defenders: Uche Okechukwu; Mobi Obaraku; Taribo West; Celestine Babayaro
Midfielders: Emmanuel Amunike; Jay-Jay Okocha; Sunday Oliseh
Forwards: Daniel Amokachi; Tijana Babangida; Nwankwo Kanu
Goal Scorer: Kanu (77″).
1996 Nigeria Vs. Japan Lineup (2 – 0)
Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
Defenders: Mobi Obaraku; Uche Okechukwu; Taribo West; Celestine Babayaro
Midfielders: Emmanuel Amunike; Jay-Jay Okocha; Sunday Oliseh
Forwards: Daniel Amokachi; Tijana Babangida; Nwankwo Kanu
Goal Scores: Babangida (82″), Okocha (89″) via penalty.
Brazil Vs. Nigeria 1996 Squad (1 – 0)
Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
Defenders: Abiodun Obafemi; Mobi Obaraku; Uche Okechukwu; Taribo West
Midfielders: Emmanuel Amunike; Jay-Jay Okocha; Sunday Oliseh
Forwards: Daniel Amokachi; Tijana Babangida; Nwankwo Kanu
Goal Scorer: Ronaldo (30″).
Mexico vs. Nigeria Atlanta 96 Lineup (0 – 2)
Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
Defenders: Mobi Obaraku; Uche Okechukwu; Taribo West; Celestine Babayaro
Midfielders: Emmanuel Amunike; Jay-Jay Okocha; Sunday Oliseh
Forwards: Daniel Amokachi; Tijana Babangida; Nwankwo Kanu
Goal Scores: Okocha (20″), Babayaro (85″).
Nigeria Vs. Brazil Olympic 1996 Lineup (4 – 3)
Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
Defenders: Mobi Obaraku; Uche Okechukwu; Taribo West; Celestine Babayaro
Midfielders: Emmanuel Amunike; Garba Lawal; Jay-Jay Okocha
Forwards: Daniel Amokachi; Tijana Babangida; Nwankwo Kanu
Goal Scores (Nigeria): Roberto Carlos – Own Goal (20″), Ikpeba (78″), Kanu (90″), and Kanu (93″).
Goal Scores (Brazil): Flavio Conceicao (2″), Bebeto (27″), Flavio Conceicao (37″).
Nigeria Vs. Argentina 1996 Lineup (Final) (3 – 2)
Goalkeeper: Joseph Dosu
Defenders: Mobi Obaraku; Uche Okechukwu; Taribo West; Celestine Babayaro
Midfielders: Jay-Jay Okocha; Sunday Oliseh
Forwards: Daniel Amokachi; Tijana Babangida; Victor Ikpeba; Nwankwo Kanu
Goal Scorers (Nigeria): Babayaro (28″), Amokachi (74″), Amunike (89″).
Goal Scorers (Argentina): Claudio Lopez (3″), Hernan Crespo (49″) via penalty.
List Of Nigerian Football Players In Atlanta 1996
| Position | Players | Club | DOB |
| Goalkeepers | Emmanuel Babayaro | Plateau United, Nigeria | 12/26/1976 |
| Abiodun Baruwa | Shooting Stars FC, Nigeria | 11/16/1974 | |
| Joseph Dosu | AC Reggiana, Italy | 6/19/1973 | |
| Defenders | |||
| Celestine Babayaro | RSC Anderlecht, Belgium | 8/29/1978 | |
| Patrick Ndah | 11/20/1973 | ||
| King Obie | 11/12/1974 | ||
| Uche Okechukwu | Fenerbahçe, Turkey | 9/27/1967 | |
| Mobi Oparaku | KFC Turnhout, Belgium | 12/1/1976 | |
| Taribo West | AJ Auxerre, France | 3/26/1974 | |
| Midfielders | |||
| Teslim Fatusi | Servette Genève, Switzerland | 9/17/1977 | |
| Garba Lawal | Espérance de Tunis, Tunisia | 5/22/1974 | |
| Abiodun Obafemi | Fortuna Düsseldorf, Germany | 12/25/1973 | |
| Jay Jay Okocha | Fenerbahçe, Turkey | 8/14/1973 | |
| Sunday Oliseh | 1. FC Köln, Germany | 9/14/1974 | |
| Wilson Oruma | AS Nancy, France | 12/30/1976 | |
| Forwards | |||
| Jonathan Akpoborie | Hansa Rostock, Germany | 10/20/1968 | |
| Daniel Amokachi | Beşiktaş, Turkey | 12/30/1972 | |
| Emmanuel Amunike | Sporting CP, Portugal | 12/25/1970 | |
| Tijjani Babangida | AFC Ajax, Netherlands | 9/25/1973 | |
| Victor Ikpeba | AS Monaco, France | 6/12/1973 | |
| Nwankwo Kanu | Inter, Italy | 8/1/1976 | |
| Pascal Onya | Shooting Stars FC, Nigeria | 12/24/1974 | |
| Manager | |||
| Jo Bonfrere | 6/15/1946 |
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
