Why Ahmed Musa had different numbers of Super Eagles’ games in NFF and FIFA’s records [Pulse Explainer]

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have made a stunning reversal on Ahmed Musa’s 100th cap record after rolling out all the red carpets for him. 

The NFF led tribute for the Super Eagles captain after his appearance in Nigeria’s 2-1 win over Cape Verde on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, which was initially termed his 100th cap. 

In NFF’s record, the 28-year-old had played in 100 games, contrary to FIFA’s record of 98 games. 

“We defer to FIFA in this regard, so Ahmed Musa has 98 caps. If he features, as expected, in the home-and-away matches against Central African Republic in October, he will clock the tally of 100 and the celebrations will follow in full flow,” NFF’s Director of Communications Ademola Olajire said in a statement sent to this writer on Wednesday, September 8, 2021.

In their record, the NFF counted a June 2017 friendly game between Nigeria and Togo and a FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 qualifier against Algeria in Constantine in November 2017. 

FIFA, however, did not count those games. The friendly against Togo was not a FIFA-recognised game. At the same time, the qualifier against Algeria, which ended 1-1, was deleted because Nigeria fielded an ineligible player and the result was overturned, with Algeria awarded the game.

There were celebrations across Nigerian football for Musa after the game against Cape Verde on Tuesday. 

His teammates celebrated with him on the pitch immediately after the game, while several others took to social media to pay tribute to him. 

NFF President Amaju Pinnick had also pledged N10m for the forward in honour of his now deferred 100th cap.