Former Real Madrid midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju has said it was a huge honour for him to have played for the Super Eagles at three different FIFA World Cup finals.
The legendary Super Eagles player donned the green white green jersey of the Nigeria senior Football team at the U.S.A 1994, France 1998 and the Korea/Japan World Cup in 2002 scoring a fantastic header against Spain at the 1998 edition.
The former Shooting Stars of Ibadan General Manager while reacting to questions from journalists on Nigeria’s foremost Sports Forum, Family United by Football (FUBF) said he believes its a privilege to have represented Nigeria thrice at the mundial and not every great Nigerian player had the privilege.
” Every footballer wants to play at the biggest stage, which is the FIFA Senior World Cup. He told FUBF.
” I was privileged to play at not just one, but three different World Cup finals.
” I was at the 1989 FIFA Junior World Cup, but it can’t be compared to the Senior World Cup at U.S.A ,France and Japan/Korea.
The atmosphere at the senior World Cup is always electrifying and these pushes the players to give their all on the pitch.
” My best World cup was the France 1998 World Cup, though I was part and parcel of the 1994 World Cup but I think i was just coming up then, unlike the 1998 World Cup, where i was more matured, experienced and probably have reached my full potentials.
” The goal against Spain was special to me, because we needed that goal to catch up and of course we were playing against Spain in our first game, it was a big game and no one gave us a chance to win, but we did.
At his last World cup appearance in 2002, the midfield trojan never got to play a single game under veteran tactician Adegboye Onigbinde who preferred the younger players, this Adepoju said he had no regret over, because he helped mentor the young players in camp and that was satisfying enough.
” I didn’t get to play any game at the 2002 World Cup, but was privilege to be with the team, guess the manager preferred the younger ones and I had no issues with that.
” I did a great job there, by mentoring and encouraging the young players and am glad most of them later did well for themselves. I was fulfilled enough, even though I never got to play a single game.
