TEN INTERESTING FACTS OF ARGENTINA AND NIGERIA
Dhaka, August, 27:
• Argentina and France are the only two national teams that have won the three most important men's titles recognized by FIFA: the World Cup, the Confederations Cup, and the Olympics.
• Argentina was denied their first Olympic gold medal in 1996 when Nigeria beat them in the final.
• Javier Mascherano is one of the two Argentine sportsmen who have won two Olympic gold medals (in 2004 and 2008). The other is polo player Juan Nelson.
• Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie was named Premier League Player of the Month twice last season, in September 2010 and April 2011. He was also named English Premier League African Player of the Year.
• Both Jon Mikel Obi and Lionel Messi came to the limelight in the same competition, the 2005 Fifa Youth World Cup. Messi scored six goals to bag the Golden Boot and Golden Ball as Mikel had to be content with the Silver Ball.
• Mascherano also holds an Italian passport, which makes him eligible as an EU player.
• Vincent Enyeama denied Lionel Messi on a number of occasions when the teams met in the 2010 World Cup. The Argentine will be looking forward to beating the Nigerian custodian this time around.
• The last time Nigeria won the African Cup of Nations was in 1994, a year after Argentina won their last of 14 Copa America titles.
• On 5 July 2003, Sergio Aguero became the youngest player to debut in the Argentine First Division at 15 years and 35 days. Who held the previous record? It’s his father-in-law Diego Maradona.
• Mikel Obi hasn’t scored for Chelsea in 139 appearances, whereas midfielder Kalu Uche has scored 50% of his career goals in the last World Cup (two among four).