Lessons From The Atlanta 1996 Olympic Football Game
Nigerian football team otherwise known as the Dream Team went to Atlanta Olympics in 1996 as an underdogs. Especially with the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Germany etc in participation. However, they returned as the king.
That explains what life looks like most of the time. You don't look like most of the achievements you make, yet you achieve them. In that epoch making Championship, Nigeria lost to only Brazil in the group stage. And they met again in the semi-finals. This time around, it was a different ball game.
Although, the Samba boys had a filled day, practicing with the Nigerian team in the first-half. But, just like many people were at the verge of losing hope, life smiled at the Dream Team. But note that they kept on hope.
In most part of the match, Brazil dominated the Nigerians side. They had all the stars like Bebeto, Ronaldo Narario, and they dazzled the Nigerian side with 3-1 lead up to the 77th minute of the match.
Remember, full time is 90 minutes in every football match. This simply means only 13 minutes was left to the end of the match. To the average Nigerians, the dream team didn't look like it. They didn't seem to have any chance against the Brazilians. Different fans reacted differently.
Some switched off their TVs, others walked out of the team, and all that. Virtually everyone lost hope on the team except very few who stayed glued on their TV praying, hoping and believing in the team. That's a deep life lesson, very few stay to the end of a race.
Just as the clock struck 78th, came the Messiah. Victor Ikpeba powered a 20 metres shot that was seen only when it was shaking the opponent's net. It brought back the battered hope the team and their teeming fans round the world. Even the Brazilians didn't have an answer to that.
The goal changed the narrative, as the Nigerian side was fired up against the Samba boys. Having lost control of the game, the Brazilian team came under intense pressure while the Nigerians took control. They delivered shots on target from all directions into the Brazilian goal area, back to back.
The efforts of the Dream Team yielded fruit in 90th minute when the Captain of the side, Kanu Nwankwo, levelled up the score in style. It was a mystery to everybody that Nigeria could come back in that match, especially after being beaten by the same team earlier.
You can see, just when it was time to end the match, hope was brought to the weaker side. The stadium and all viewing centres went agog. So, anyone is free to join the few who stick to end or join the majority that are weak at heart. Victory belong to the former few.
The equalizer means that the match will go into extra time, because the winner is yet to be decided. After the teams had rested, they went back to play for another 30 minutes. And if the decider didn't come, the game would be decided by penalty shoot out.
That time, FIFA had a rule known as "Golden Goal" rule. This means that in the extra time any team that scored first would become the winner of the match. It was nicknamed, "Sudden Death".
The extra time commenced in earnest and the Dream Team came out even more motivated. They seem to have found the key to the secret of the Brazilian side. And the South Americans... They couldn't comprehend the sudden superior fire power of the West Africans.
Just About 3 minutes into the match, Kanu Nwankwo skillfully delivered the decider into the opponent's net. And that was the end.
The same team moved on with the same motivation to beat Argentina, another favorite, in the finals to clinch the gold medal.
Summary of The Lessons
- Don't be afraid of the big fish when you have to compete with them. Just focus on your strength.
- Always stick to the end of everything you do, no matter how hopeless it may seem.
- Don't listen to the crowd, because in the crowd lies the majority with voice of failure.