The nickname is a common feature among professional footballers around the world. In Nigeria, footballers are often given nicknames by their teammates or fans based on certain circumstances. Below is a list of three popular Nigerian footballers and their nicknames. It will be of interest to readers to take a look at how the nicknames of these football players originated.
-Taye Taiwo (The Tornado)
The left back plays for Olympic Marseille in France and the Super Eagles in Nigeria. He is popularly called “The tornado”, for the shot that packs into his left leg. He has scored sensational goals for both club and country on a number of occasions and this has endeared him to the fans, hence his nickname. He played for Nigeria’s Lobi FC before moving to the Ligue 1 side after a successful outing with the U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles.
– Obafemi Martins (Obagoal or Weapon of Mass Destruction)
He remains one of the most prolific forwards in the Nigerian Super Eagles fold. He currently plies his trade with the Russian club Rubin Kazan. He has been given the nickname Obagoal because of his first name Obafemi and because of the fact that he has scored many goals for both club and country. He is also commonly known as the Weapon of Mass Destruction due to his accuracy in front of goal.
Obafemi Martins single-handedly scored a brace to qualify Nigeria for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Blessed with a devastating left foot, he continues to enjoy rave reviews in international football circles.
– Daniel Amokachi (Da Toro)
Daniel Owenin Amokachi earned the nickname Da Bull due to his power play and all-around performance while playing for the Nigerian Super Eagles. He had a way of working his way through the opposing defense and never gave up when he had the ball. His skill, power and passion made him a fan favorite and this culminated in him being signed by the top English team Everton FC at the height of his career in the 2003-2004 season. . He also participated in the Championship of Belgium-Anderlecht FC.
He is currently a football analyst for the South African sports channels-Super sports, where he analyzes the English first division on a weekly basis. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he was appointed by the Nigerian Football Federation as an assistant coach to Swedish coach Lars Lagerback. However, Nigeria failed to get past the first round and the entire squad and coaching staff disbanded after Nigeria’s embarrassing exit.
