Following the lethargic 2-0 loss to Croatia in their opening game of the 2018 World Cup, the Super Eagles have been adjudged as the 29th best of the 32 teams participating at the World Cup after the first round of games. In an appraisal of all the teams, Nigeria is rated only better than Saudi Arabia which lost the opening game of the competition 5-0 to host country Russia and debutants Panama who lost 3-0 to Belgium.
Nigeria’s loss to Croatia was described thus: “A horrible performance from a group of players who did not seem to grasp quite how important their opening game at the World Cup was. Whether the manager’s fault or those in green shirts, there was no urgency, no great surge to try and rescue a point, an isolated striker and full-backs who were not allowed to get forward. Nigeria should be so much better than this.”