Advertisement
Jon Super/AP/Press Association Images

Stranded! Their Olympic opener is tomorrow but the Nigerian football team are in Atlanta

The team face Japan at 10pm local time on Thursday.

THEY FACE JAPAN in their Rio 2016 opener on Thursday night local time but the Nigerian football team aren’t even in Brazil yet.

According to the BBC, the squad are stranded in Atlanta because the airline supposedly flying them to South America hasn’t been paid yet.

Such payment is usually handled by the country’s sports ministry but the ‘logistical mix-up’ has now severely affected Nigeria’s preparations.

The team have been drawn in Group B and will also face Sweden and Colombia.

Nigeria have good pedigree when it comes to the tournament.

Brazil Soccer WCup Iran Nigeria Jon Obi Mikel is the Nigerian team captain. Jon Super / AP/Press Association Images Jon Super / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

They won the gold medal 20 years in, ironically enough, the same American city where they’ve been left stranded.

In 2008, they finished as runners-up to an Argentina side that featured the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel di Maria and Juan Roman Riquelme.

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

One of Euro 2016′s most eye-catching youngsters is heading for the Premier League

Rooney’s boyhood hero calls him the ‘best player we’ve ever had in the Premier League’

Close
6 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fred McHugh
    Favourite Fred McHugh
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 11:01 AM

    ENGLISH premier league- just in location

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mike Flannery
    Favourite Mike Flannery
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 11:06 AM

    Lower quality but more interesting football back then

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bungee Aky
    Favourite Bungee Aky
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 11:25 AM

    Brexit might bring back that reality sooner than people think

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Mc Dermott
    Favourite John Mc Dermott
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 11:42 AM

    Is it any wonder it’s never happened again… Villa lost 4-1 to Coventry!

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Murphy
    Favourite Brian Murphy
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 11:26 AM

    Ironic it was a foreginer who scored the winning goals tho…

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damo.f
    Favourite Damo.f
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 2:41 PM

    Bernard Brogans long lost relative.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tricksy
    Favourite Tricksy
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 2:19 PM

    And not many English managers either !

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank MacNamara
    Favourite Frank MacNamara
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 2:41 PM

    I wonder what Premier team had the most Irish players in it?I remember Charlton Athletic had Matt Holland,Mark Kinsella&Dean Kiely at the same time.That would be hard to beat,I reckon.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank O'Mahony
    Favourite Frank O'Mahony
    Report
    Feb 27th 2019, 2:58 PM

    @Frank MacNamara: Villa with Stan (the gaffer), McGrath, Townsend and Houghton maybe

    14
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.