Iheanacho & Ndidi Join Nigeria's Pantheon Of FA Cup Winners


The Leicester City duo add their names to the hallowed ranks of Super Eagles to have clinched the historic club honor.

  1. Nigeria's latest success
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Nigeria's latest success

  1. Nigeria produced two new FA Cup winners on Saturday, as Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi were part of the Leicester City side that defeated Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley.

    It was a remarkable victory by the Foxes, who had Youri Tielemans and Kasper Schmeichel to thank - in particular - for some stunning contributions to a historic triumph for the Foxes.

    As Ndidi and Iheanacho add their names to Nigeria's list of FA Cup winners, Goal review a chronological history of the nation's stars to have won the big one.


Daniel Amokachi, 1995
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Daniel Amokachi, 1995

The first Super Eagle to win the FA Cup, Amokachi was a winner with Everton in 1995 as they dispatched Manchester United in the final.

It was the last major silverware the Toffees won, and represented Amokachi’s highlight in England, as he struggled to build on this success.

The Merseysiders’ semi-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur ranks as one of the striker’s outstanding career performances, as he netted twice in a 4-1 triumph at Elland Road.

  1. Celestine Babayaro, 2000
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    Celestine Babayaro, 2000

    Before Chelsea were quite the force they are now, Babayaro ensured that Nigerian fans took interest in the West London heavyweights.

    He made 132 league appearances on the Blues’ left flank, and enjoyed great success in the late 90s—winning the Cup Winners’ Cup and the Super Cup under Gianluca Vialli.

    In 2000, he also clinched the FA Cup alongside George Weah, as Roberto Di Matteo’s winner downed Aston Villa in the final.

  1. Nwankwo Kanu, 2002, 2003 & 2008
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    Nwankwo Kanu, 2002, 2003 & 2008

    The only player on this list to have won the cup with two separate teams, Kanu was a winner with Arsenal following his arrival in England, and later clinched the title with Portsmouth—alongside Utaka.

    With the Gunners, he reached three consecutive finals, making up for a defeat in 2001 by coming off the bench in victory over Chelsea in 2002, and then winning another medal as an unused substitute in 2003.

    Five years later, he made his mark in the tournament once again, netting the winner—and the only goal of the game—as Portsmouth defeated Cardiff City.

    It was the final great act of a superb career.


  1. John Obi Mikel, 2007, 2009 & 2012
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    John Obi Mikel, 2007, 2009 & 2012

    Mikel won almost all there was to win during his time with Chelsea, including two Premier League titles, the Champions League in 2012 and the 2013 Europa League.

    He didn’t win any competition more often than the FA Cup, however, having clinched the crown three times during his decade at Stamford Bridge.

    The first success came in 2007, as Didier Drogba’s extra-time winner downed Manchester United, and he followed that up with further successes in 2009 and 2012.

  1. John Utaka, 2008
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    John Utaka, 2008

    The highlight of Utaka’s four-year spell in English football with Portsmouth was their FA Cup success in 2008.

    The forward, who arrived at Pompey from Stade Rennais, didn’t truly translate his Ligue 1 goalscoring form to the English game, although he did play in their 1-0 victory over Cardiff City.

    Starting on the right flank, Utaka was one of several African players in that side alongside Sulley Muntari, Papa Bouba Diop and Nwankwo Kanu.

Alex Iwobi, 2017
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Alex Iwobi, 2017

It seems like a long time ago now, but Iwobi was—once upon a time—the bright young hope at Arsenal, and was part of the side that defeated Chelsea in the 2017 FA Cup final.

Iwobi was an unused substitute on that occasion, as goals from Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey took the Gunners past the Blues.

Victor Moses, 2018
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Victor Moses, 2018

While Iwobi clinched the gold in 2017, Moses had a showing to forget, as he picked up two yellow cards in 11 second-half minutes as his showing came to a premature conclusion.

One year later, he was part of the Chelsea team that dispatched Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley, playing 90 minutes as the Blues got their hands on the historic cup.

Kelechi Iheanacho & Wilfred Ndidi, 2021
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Kelechi Iheanacho & Wilfred Ndidi, 2021

The Foxes pair added their names to the pantheon of Nigerian FA Cup winners this weekend, as they wrote yet another magical chapter in Leicester's glorious recent history.

While Iheanacho didn't enjoy the strongest outing, Ndidi was imperious in the midfield, delivering a commanding display to help the Foxes on their way to triumph.

Attention now turns to the top four race, where Brendan Rodgers' side must see off the challenges of Chelsea (again) and Liverpool to secure Champions League qualification.



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