148-533: Jollof derby is the moniker given to any encounter between the national football teams of Nigeria and Ghana . The derby takes its name from the nations' long-standing rivalry over who makes the best Jollof rice . The rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria extends beyond the realm of sports and has a deep-rooted history. The divide extends beyond just football and encompasses aspects of culture, economy, and social status in West Africa . Debates have arisen regarding
296-423: A ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it
444-628: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
592-493: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
740-517: A brief period in the mid-1970s and 1980s and lasting until early 2000s. The team of the year award was organized by France Football from 1980 to 2004, and by CAF from 2004 onwards. The African Footballer of the Year award, presented to the best African footballer each year, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1992. An earlier African Footballer of
888-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
1036-539: A combined score of 8–0. The figurative successor to the Jalco Cup, the Azikiwe Cup was named for Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe , who was Nigeria's first postcolonial president. The tournament was initially contested under the same rotating, single match, format as the Jalco Cup, but was later switched to an aggregate home and away setup with each team hosting one match apiece. Unlike the Jalco Cup, the teams did not share
1184-421: A commanding lead of 6–0. Before the game, there were widespread reports of unrest among Nigerian players, including individuals like Peter Anieke and Gowin 'Opel' Ironkwe, who were reportedly seeking payment prior to the match. Such demands were quite unusual for that era. The Nigerian Football Association responded by suspending Anieke and Ironkwe for their perceived lack of discipline and poor performance following
1332-574: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
1480-505: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
1628-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
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#17327725809681776-566: A gradual escalation of tensions between the two nations. Nigeria then implemented a comparable law in 1983, leading to the mass expulsion of Ghanaian residents. The intricate geopolitical and socio-cultural subtleties have contributed to the heightened intensity of football matches between these two nations. Despite the occurrence of these political conflicts between these nations, there is no genuine enmity between them or their respective supporters. Instead, they engage in friendly banter rather than harbouring outright hostility. CNN ranked it 7th among
1924-461: A group of armed personnel to protect and escort the team out of the pitch. The then-president of Nigeria, Yakubu Gowon , then sent an armoured vehicle to evacuate the players to the team hotel. The late General Kutu Acheampong then provided a plane to transport the Ghana team back to Accra. The Ghanaian support that accompanied the team to Nigeria for the game was, however, attacked. The bus carrying
2072-640: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
2220-529: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
2368-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
2516-489: A record nine consecutive wins in AFCON matches after beating Ghana in the 2010 final , while becoming the first team to win three consecutive AFCON titles. The unbeaten run came to an end on 5 February 2017, after Egypt lost 1–2 to Cameroon in the 2017 final . Egypt appeared in two of the ten FIFA Confederations Cups contested, being eliminated in the group stage on both occasions. Egypt's first Confederations Cup appearance
2664-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
2812-530: A score of 4–1 and drew Ghana 1–1, defeating Congo-Kinshasa 1–0. Egypt ended being in first place, thus advancing to the next round, where they faced Sudan. Egypt eventually lost their first game in the Africa Cup of Nations by a scored of 2–1, then in the third place match, won against Ivory Coast 3–1. Egypt failed to qualify for the first time in 1972 after being eliminated by Morocco by an aggregate score of 5–3. However, Egypt returned for 1974 , hosting
2960-576: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
3108-564: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
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#17327725809683256-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
3404-569: Is generally held to be the beginning of the rivalry's historical record. The cup was contested between the two countries every year except 1952. After Ghanaian independence the country's football officials harbored ambitions of competing in the Olympic Games . To this end they met with officials from the most prominent West African nations, including Nigeria, to create the West African Soccer Federation. The aim of
3552-468: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
3700-657: Is governed by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), the governing body of football in Egypt . Egypt is Africa's oldest national football team and has won the African Cup a record seven times . Egypt has made three appearances in the World Cup and was the first-ever African and Middle Eastern team to make such an appearance. Their former goalkeeper Essam El Hadary also holds the record for
3848-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
3996-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
4144-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
4292-816: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
4440-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
4588-643: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
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4736-455: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
4884-401: Is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting the ball into the other team's goal (between
5032-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
5180-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
5328-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
5476-522: The 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification , they faced Italy but didn’t qualify. They withdrew the 1958 , 1962 , 1966 and 1970 World Cup Qualifiers. Since 1974 World Cup Qualification , Egypt entered the qualifiers on regular basis but did not qualify. In 1990, Egypt qualified after beating Algeria 1–0 in the playoffs. They were drawn in Group F, with Ireland , England and the Netherlands . Since
5624-589: The 1965 Africa Cup of Nations , Egypt qualified for the tournament, but withdrew because of their diplomatic relationship with hosts Tunisia. They also withdrew in 1968. In the 1970 Africa Cup of Nations , hosted again in Sudan, Egypt were in Group B along with Ghana , Guinea , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo , known as Congo-Kinshasa back then. In their opening match, Egypt defeated Guinea by
5772-558: The 1980 African Cup of Nations , defeating Ivory Coast and defeated Tanzania, but lost to hosts Nigeria 1–0. Egypt progressed to the semi-finals to face Algeria , who defeated the Egyptians on penalties. For the Four years later , Egypt defeated Cameroon and Ivory Coast, and drew Togo, eventually finishing fourth behind Algeria. For 1986 , Egypt hosted; they lost to Senegal 1–0. However, Egypt went on to win their two remaining games in
5920-464: The 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers . This would be their fourth encounter against each other, with World Cup Finals qualification at stake. Former Black Stars winger, Charles Asampong Taylor , shared an encounter he had with former Super Eagles of Nigeria defender, Taribo West . During that match, the Black Stars managed a goalless draw, but according to Taylor, he received threats from some of
6068-540: The 2021 Africa Cup , Egypt went to the final despite dire performances in the group stage and beating Ivory Coast on penalties after a 0–0 draw. Egypt then beat Cameroon 3–1 in penalties after a 0–0 draw, to reach their 10th final, beating Ghana's record of final appearances. Egypt suffered their first of two losses to Senegal in 2022, both on penalties (in the AFCON final and in World Cup qualifying), both winning penalties scored by Sadio Mané . Egypt has qualified for
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6216-518: The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Cape Verde and Botswana on 6 and 10 September 2024. Caps and goals correct as of 6 September 2024, after the match against [REDACTED] Cape Verde . The following players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months. In 2017 , Egypt set a new record of 24 consecutive Africa Cup of Nations matches played without defeat, dating back to their last tournament appearance in 2010 . During this run, Egypt also reached
6364-527: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
6512-552: The "Red Devils" before adopting their national colors of green and white. The Gold Coast Football Federation, established in 1920, was more than two decades older than Nigeria's, and its team was more well known among Britain's colonies. The Gold Coast national team had already toured England, playing friendly matches against various clubs, prior to what is commonly considered to be the first official International "A" match in 1951. Nigeria, not to be outdone, followed suit, albeit with less success. Despite their disparate histories, Nigeria
6660-635: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
6808-592: The 2018 World Cup, Egypt was drawn with Saudi Arabia , Uruguay and the hosts, Russia . They started their first game against Uruguay, without Salah, who was injured in the UEFA Champions League final . Egypt lost 1–0, and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy was voted man of the match. He refused the reward due to sponsorship by Budweiser . Salah returned to the starting lineup when Egypt faced Russia. Russia led 3–0, and then Salah scored Egypt's first World Cup goal in 28 years. Egypt's third and final match
6956-460: The 82nd minute. Chaos erupted at the stadium. According to the BBC, the game was abandoned right after Ghana's late winner. The players were held hostage on the pitch, and they were unable to make their way to the dressing room because the fans threw bottles at them. Players had to seek shelter in the middle of the pitch. The then-military governor of Lagos State, Mobolaji Johnson , intervened by leading
7104-464: The Africa Cup of Nations in 1962. Their fourth appearance came in 1963 in Ghana . Egypt was placed in Group B with Sudan and Nigeria , defeating Nigeria 6–3, but drawing 2–2 against Sudan. Despite being undefeated in the group stage, they were ranked second, behind Sudan by goal difference. Egypt, as runners-up in Group B, participated in the 3rd place match, playing against Ethiopia, winning 3–0. For
7252-476: The African continent were able to assemble national teams that were internationally recognized and thus eligible for FIFA competitions. Various rivalry cups and tournaments were instituted instead. During the 1950s and 1960s, Nigeria and Ghana would compete in three cup competitions. There are various records of matches having been played between the national teams dating back to 1938. These unofficial matches list
7400-399: The Egyptians favored defensive tactics, they scored only one goal in the 1990 World Cup . A 1–1 draw with UEFA Euro 1988 champions Netherlands gave the Egyptians their first point in the World Cup. This was followed by a draw against Ireland and a 0–1 loss to England. On 8 October 2017, Egypt qualified for the 2018 World Cup after topping Group E over Uganda , Ghana and Congo . In
7548-576: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
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#17327725809687696-518: The FIFA World Cup many times and reaching the greatest FIFA ranking in Africa of No. 5 in the world in 1994. In both that year and 1998, the team made historic trips to the knockout stages, defeating Spain and coming within minutes of overcoming world superpower and eventual 1994 finalists Italy. Until 1960 Egypt was the only African nation to ever participate in FIFA World Cup qualifying. Since decolonization had yet to begin in earnest, few nations on
7844-440: The FIFA World Cup three times: in 1934 , in 1990 and for the 2018 editions. Egypt was the first African country to qualify for the World Cup, beating Mandatory Palestine . They lost to Hungary 4–2 in their first and only match in 1934, the two goals scored by Egypt's forward Abdulrahman Fawzi . In the next qualifications for the 1938 World Cup , Egypt withdrew. They didn’t enter the 1950 FIFA World Cup qualification . In
7992-910: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
8140-467: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
8288-471: The Ghanaian fans was consequently burned in the process. The Nigerian army had to disperse the crowd with tear gas. Due to the riot, FIFA awarded Ghana a 2–0 win for the tie. Before the game, Ghana had secured a spot in the semi-finals by defeating Congo - Brazzaville 2–1, while Nigeria had edged out Zaire (now Congo DRC ) with a lone goal to reach the same stage of the tournament. The semi-final matchup
8436-475: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
8584-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
8732-614: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
8880-479: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
9028-491: The Nigerian players who warned him to reduce his dribbling or risk leaving the field injured. Ghana fielded an all Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. line-up with only Baffour Gyan (who came in later in the game as a substitute) as the foreign-based professional. Reflecting on the moment he donned the Black Stars jersey, Charles Taylor admitted to feeling overwhelmed when he saw star players like Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu on
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#17327725809689176-696: The Red Devils) beat the Black Stars, triumphing 5–0 in the then-yearly football clash between the neighbouring West African rivals (the JALCO Cup). The goal scorers for Nigeria were Peter Anieke in the 35th minute, Cyril Asoluka in the 40th minute, Titus Okere in the 58th minute, Friday Okoh in the 67th minute, and Cyril again in the 88th minute to collectively spell out 'GHANA' on the scoreboard. This match, hosted in Lagos, stands as Ghana's worst defeat ever inflicted by any African opponent. The 1955 Jalco Cup
9324-465: The Stallions was canceled out by an Aristide Bancé strike; however, veteran goalkeeper Essam El Hadary saved two spot-kicks in the penalty shootout to earn a spot in the final for Egypt. Egypt then faced Cameroon, and lost the final for the second time. In the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations , hosts Egypt were knocked out by South Africa in the round of 16, despite three wins in the group stage. In
9472-539: The Super Eagles. He explained, "We were getting close but not US$ 10,000. I think we were promised US$ 5,000 and I said give us US$ 8,000, we can win the game. And the US$ 8,000 was given and the rest was history," It's worth noting that Abedi Pele, who was the captain of the Black Stars, was suspended for the final match after receiving a caution in the game against Nigeria. The Super Eagles and the Black Stars faced off in
9620-543: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
9768-798: The Year Golden Ball award was given out between 1970 and 1994 by France Football magazine. The BBC African Sports Personality of the Year (previously known as the BBC African Sports Star of the Year and the BBC African Footballer of the Year ) was an annual award given to the best African sports personality of the year as voted by the BBC radio listeners. Nigeria and Ghana have played 56 times in all tournaments, including friendly matches. Ghana has defeated Nigeria 25 times, with Nigeria winning only 12 of
9916-460: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
10064-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
10212-534: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
10360-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
10508-750: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
10656-455: The collision. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital and revived with the assistance of oxygen. In an interview with The PUNCH , Shorunmu emphasised that the intense rivalry between the two nations played a significant role in the incident. He noted that players were willing to go to great lengths, even risking their lives, while representing their respective countries and donning the national jersey. On 10 March 2001, Ghana faced Nigeria in
10804-505: The competition seven times, with the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations being the most recent one. Egypt first participated in the first Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 1957. In their first game, a semi-final, they faced Sudan , winning 2–1; Egypt won 4–0 in the final. In their second participation in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1959 , Egypt became champions again. There were only three teams in that tournament, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt, who were undefeated. They lost their first final in
10952-513: The country had a political union with Syria and went under the name of United Arab Republic, though the Egyptian team's records are attributed to Egypt only by FIFA as it was represented by Egyptian footballers and the team played in the Africa Cup of Nations . The Pharaohs have appeared in three FIFA World Cups and they are the most successful team in the Africa Cup of Nations , winning
11100-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
11248-422: The cup in the event of a tie under the single leg format, but rather the cup returned to the nation that had held it. This only occurred in 1962 when Ghana secured a 0-0 result in Lagos and were able to retain the cup that they initially won in the competition in 1961. Ghana won or retained the cup in every year that it was contested, continuing a dominance in the rivalry stemming in the early 1960s broken only during
11396-516: The denial of their bonus request. Furthermore, there were speculations that some players may have received bribes from the Gold Coast team, but these allegations were never substantiated. The result remains the heaviest defeat ever suffered by the Nigerian national football team. The game is remembered for Ghanaians taunting Nigerians about how each goal represented each letter in the word 'NIGERIA'. These jokes continued even after two decades, when
11544-403: The dying moments of the first half, equalised for Ghana with a header, ensuring that the Black Stars entered halftime on level terms. Eight minutes into the second half, Prince Polley , the former Asante Kotoko S.C. forward, struck a first-time shot in the box to put Ghana ahead. Although Ghana progressed to the final, they suffered defeat in a penalty shootout, with Ivory Coast emerging as
11692-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
11840-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
11988-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
12136-428: The entrance, demanding that he disembark. Fortunately, security intervened and allowed the Black Stars to pass. Tensions carried onto the pitch, with the Nigerian captain strongly objecting to the airport interview. In front of both teams, the Nigerian captain questioned Jabir's fitness to be the Ghana captain. In response, Jabir admitted that he made a crude remark that everyone present heard. Yakubu Mambo put Nigeria in
12284-459: The event. They finished third place. Two years later , in Ethiopia, they were in Group A with the hosts, Guinea, and Uganda. Egypt defeated Uganda 2–1, but drew against Uganda and Ethiopia. Egypt advanced to the final round, and lost all matches. This is the first Africa Cup of Nations tournament that Egypt lost 3 consecutive games. Egypt then failed to qualify for 1978 . Egypt reappeared for
12432-558: The five Anglophone nations in West Africa and home to the largest populations in the region. The two sides often meet in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, Olympic games , and WAFU tournaments. Apart from the AFCON Final, it is one of Africa's most important national football matches and one of the most watched sporting events. The rivalry is considered one of the most intense in sports. This high-octane match has seen remarkable goal celebrations from both teams, with
12580-399: The fixture was played. According to Elizabeth Ohene , it became the stuff of legends, casting its shadow over every conversation, be it private or on a national level, between the two nations for many years. In the initial stage of the 1960 Summer Olympics qualifiers , Ghana and Nigeria clashed in a two-legged match. The first leg was played in Lagos, Nigeria, on 10 October 1959. Nigeria won
12728-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
12876-528: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
13024-531: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
13172-513: The game 3–1.On 25 October 1959, the return leg was hosted by Ghana in Accra , and Ghana won the game 4–1 to qualify for the next round of the qualifiers. A Nigerian sports journalist alleged that the Ghanaian team brought in a witch doctor to cast a spell on the Nigerian team ahead of the Olympic qualifying match. The journalist claimed that he managed to infiltrate the Ghanaian camp the day before
13320-407: The game by disguising himself as a Ghanaian. During his observation, he reported witnessing the players donning black thread rings, consuming a dark liquid from a tumbler, sitting around a black-painted skull, and engaging in war chants. Furthermore, the journalist described a ritual performed by the witch doctor involving juju dolls that represented the opposing team. In a significant moment during
13468-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
13616-518: The game, the witch doctor tied the legs of some of these dolls when Nigeria was in an attacking position. Ghana faced Nigeria once more for a World Cup Qualifier in Lagos Nigeria on 10 February 1973. Prior to the fixture, Ghana had lost to Nigeria in the 1973 All-Africa Games group stage fixture about a month earlier. The team was met by over 40 journalists at the airport who asked questions. Tensions were already high but rather escalated when
13764-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
13912-575: The group stage, 2–0 against the Ivory Coast and Mozambique . Egypt advanced to the final for the first time since 1962, eventually winning. Egypt qualified for 1990 , losing all group stage matches, thus making Egypt fail to obtain at least one point for the first time in the Africa Cup of Nations. They repeated this in 1992 . In the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia , Egypt defeated Gabon 4–0 and tied Nigeria 0–0. They lost to Mali 1–0 in
14060-442: The group stage, after being equal on points and goal difference. [REDACTED] The 2006 Africa Cup of Nations was hosted in Egypt; the hosts were in Group A with Libya, Morocco, and the Ivory Coast. Egypt defeated Libya 3–0, tied 0–0 against Morocco, and won 3–1 against the Ivory Coast. Egypt would eventually win the tournament on penalties, and would also win the 2008 and 2010 tournaments. They would then fail to qualify for
14208-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
14356-415: The initial tournament in 1959, the qualifying stages were only partially completed. In addition, Nigeria did not appear for the semifinal of that tournament, and the match had to be replaced with an exhibition game played as a stand-in . Also, the fourth and final tournament in 1967 was postponed following issues having to do with the lack of lighting during the qualifying matches and subsequent complaints on
14504-687: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
14652-538: The issue by the Sierra Leone players. There is no record of the final tournament ever having been completed. Despite these issues, the tournament would see two matches played between Ghana and Nigeria, the high point being when the two sides met in the final of the 1960 tournament in Lagos , Nigeria in which Ghana won 3–0. Both matches played between the two sides during the life of the tournament were won by Ghana by
14800-759: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
14948-399: The lead 15 minutes after the game began. Ghana then drew level with a penalty kick that was converted by Kwasi Owusu . This penalty decision was the result of a Nigerian defender handling the ball under pressure in the Nigerian penalty box. In the 40th minute, Nigeria earned a freekick that resulted in chaos in the Ghanaian penalty box after the ball was kicked. Yakubu Mambo then capitalised on
15096-468: The matches. On 19 occasions, matches between the two have finished in a tie. Nigeria has had more success at the World Cup, with a total of 21 points since their debut in 1994 in the United States. Ghana has accumulated 19 points since their first appearance at the tournament in Germany in 2006. Nigeria's 21 points were earned over six competitions, whereas Ghana's 19 were earned in just three. After reaching
15244-614: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
15392-534: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
15540-464: The new federation was to sponsor a regional football tournament which would help to raise the level of the game in the respective nations for future participation in international tournaments. The result was the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Gold Cup, also called the West African Soccer Federation championship. The tournament had middling success; it was plagued from the outset by organizational and funding shortfalls. In
15688-489: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. Egypt national football team The Egypt national football team ( Egyptian Arabic : منتخب مصر لكرة القدم ), nicknamed " Pharaohs " ( Egyptian Arabic : الفراعنة ), represents Egypt in men's international football , and
15836-486: The next three AFCON tournaments. Egypt qualified for the 2017 tournament, drawing against Mali in their first match in Group D. Successive 1–0 wins against Uganda and Ghana saw the Pharaohs qualify to the quarter-finals as group winners. Egypt faced Morocco at the quarter-final stage, and defeated them for the first time in 31 years to set up a semi-final clash with Burkina Faso . Mohamed Salah 's goal against
15984-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
16132-642: The oldest player to have played at a World Cup. Internationally, Egypt became a bronze medalist at the 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina . The first Egyptian national football team was constituted in 1920, the first African football team created to compete in the Summer Olympics in Belgium . The opening match of their campaign was a loss against the Italians . Between 1958 and 1961,
16280-488: The opposing team. He confessed that he was star-struck because these players represented renowned European clubs, and he had watched them on television. Taylor also mentioned that he confided in his teammate, Ishmael Addo about his apprehensions during the warm-up. During the game, Ghanaian fans resorted to tossing bags filled with water onto the playing field after sequence of decisions made by referee Felix Tangawarima that were viewed as questionable. On July 29, 2001, during
16428-402: The opposition frequently mocked. Ghana leads Nigeria in competitive match head-to-head results with 25 victories and 19 draws. Nigeria has had more success at the World Cup , with a total of 21 points since their debut in 1994 in the United States . Ghana has accumulated 19 points since their first appearance at the tournament in Germany in 2006 . The first official encounter between the two
16576-470: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
16724-576: The origins and influences of music, the supreme culinary delight (such as Jollof rice), and occasionally, the most robust economic system. Due to their shared colonial histories, there are natural areas of cultural overlap between these two nations. This overlap can be observed in their cuisine, traditions, cinema, music, and the use of Pidgin English. Consequently, collaborations between individuals from these two countries have been common. The introduction of Ghana's Aliens Compliance Order in 1969 resulted in
16872-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
17020-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
17168-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
17316-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
17464-407: The posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
17612-532: The public heavily criticized EFA's management of the team. Egypt's home games in the early years were played at Cairo International Stadium since 1960. During renovations they play at Borg El Arab Stadium . The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. Win Draw Loss Fixture Note: A committee of six former Egypt internationals. The following players were called up for
17760-469: The quarterfinal stage of the 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali . Besides Garba Lawal securing a late victory for Nigeria, the newspapers were filled with headlines about Ike Shorunmu , who collapsed after a clash with a Ghanaian player. Isaac Okoronkwo 's errant pass nearly gave the Black Stars an opportunity to take the lead, but the goalkeeper fainted while attempting to rectify the situation following
17908-646: The quarterfinals in South Africa in 2010, Ghana has progressed further in a World Cup than Nigeria. Nigeria has only ever advanced to the second round three times, in 1994, 1998, and 2014. * Ghana was organized under the Gold Coast Football Federation from this time until its independence The first home match Nigeria played against Ghana took place in Lagos in October 1951. The match was attended by 8,000 spectators. Nigeria (then
18056-461: The quarterfinals. Egypt won their fourth title in 1998, defeating South Africa in the final. Egypt qualified for the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations , in Tunisia. Egypt were placed in Group C with Algeria, Zimbabwe , and Cameroon. Egypt won 2–1 against Zimbabwe, lost 2–1 to Algeria, and drew 0–0 against Cameroon, failing to qualify for the quarter-finals due to Algeria scoring more goals than Egypt in
18204-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
18352-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
18500-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
18648-482: The return leg match, Nigeria secured their spot in the 2002 FIFA World Cup by defeating Ghana with a convincing score of 3–0. Victor Agali opened the scoring with a goal just two minutes into the game, and Tijani Babangida added two more goals in the first half. The match took an interesting turn when Ghana's goalkeeper, Osei Boateng , was shown a red card, leaving Ghana with no available substitutions. This forced an outfield player, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour , to take on
18796-504: The role of goalkeeper for the remainder of the game. This win ended Ghana's 17-year unbeaten run against Nigeria, and Nigeria subsequently became the eighth team to secure qualification for the 32-team tournament, while Ghana would have to wait four more years for a World Cup berth. Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel
18944-544: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
19092-470: The scores and winners but, as with the match in 1938, specific details such as player lineups and often even the exact date that the match took place, are unknown. The first well-documented matches were organized under the banner of the Jalco Cup, a competition sponsored by the Ford Motor Company by way of a subsidiary, Joe Allen & Company (J.Allen & Co.) for whom the cup was named. It
19240-554: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
19388-491: The situation to put Nigeria in the lead before the first half ended. 10 minutes after the second half began, Ghana captain Malik Jabir found Kwasi Owusu with a pass, which he scored to bring the scores level at 2-2. After the game was level at 2-2, Nigeria switched playing styles but were still forced to play defensively. Jabir provided a cross that resulted in a scramble at the goal mouth, leading to Kwasi Owusu's winner in
19536-441: The then captain of the Black Stars, Malik Jabir , granted an interview to the press upon the arrival of the Ghanaian team. In the interview, Jabir told the press that in a match between Ghana and Nigeria, everybody knows Ghana will always win. He revealed that this statement spread throughout Nigeria, and he was referred to as "Captain wey dey yap." Upon the arrival of the Ghana team bus at the stadium, Nigerian football fans blocked
19684-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
19832-538: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
19980-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
20128-613: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
20276-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
20424-496: The victors by an 11–10 score line. Abedi Pele of Ghana was recognised as the best player of the tournament, while Rashidi Yekini of Nigeria claimed the tournament's top scorer title. Abedi Pele concluded the competition with three goals, trailing just one goal behind the leading scorer, Rashidi Yekini. The then captain Abedi Ayew Pele recalled how a financial incentive motivated them to triumph over their perennial rivals,
20572-459: The world's Top 10 international football rivalries and described it as the biggest rivalry on the African continent . The sport has been played since prior to both countries' respective independence, and the matchup is among the oldest and most-played rivalries in African football . The football competition reflects the long-standing socio-economic rivalry between the two nations, which are two of
20720-516: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
20868-515: Was a World Cup qualifier in 1960, according to FIFA . Both national teams, however, had already competed in several domestic friendlies and competitions against foreign nations since 1950. Both of these West African countries' national teams were created when they were still British protectorates. The modern nation of Ghana was then known as the Gold Coast , and players of the Nigerian squad donned scarlet tops over white shorts and were known as
21016-489: Was a Red Sea Derby against Saudi Arabia, also out of contention after two losses. Essam El Hadary became the oldest player in the World Cup at 45 years and 161 days. Héctor Cúper , who was criticised due to his defensive strategies against Saudi Arabia, was sacked. The Egyptian Football Association was also criticised due to having its base in Chechnya, far from where Egypt's matches were played. The Egyptian media and
21164-412: Was able to defeat their fledgling opponents 5–0 at home. For the rest of the 1950s, the two teams were fairly evenly matched, generally swapping victories on their own turfs, but Ghana would go on to dominate the tournament between the 1960s and the early 2000s, winning the Africa Cup of Nations four times to Nigeria's two. Meanwhile, Nigeria would have more success in intercontinental play, qualifying for
21312-533: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
21460-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
21608-589: Was hosted by Ghana (then the Gold Coast) in Accra. The game ended with a 7–0 win for Ghana, which saw Ghana win the Jalco Cup for the third time to even the Jalco Cup honours, three trophies to three against Nigeria. The goal scorers for Gold Coast included C. K. Gyamfi with a hat-trick, Baba Yara netting twice, and Oscar Gespar and James Adjei each contributing a goal. The match drew an audience of 25,000 spectators, and by halftime, Gold Coast had already established
21756-504: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
21904-508: Was widely regarded as the "final before the final," featuring two of the tournament's favourites and longstanding West African rivals. The match took place at the Stade de l'Amitié in Dakar on January 23, 1992, with a turnout of 30,000 fans. The Super Eagles took an early lead when Mutiu Adepoju , the former Real Sociedad player, found the back of the net in the 11th minute. Abedi Pele , in
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