Nigeria: Remembering when we knocked out Italy, and other rumors …

One of my most vivid memories of Nigeria’s World Cup debut in 1994 was the celebration in Benin City when we learned that seven of the Italian players who had knocked us out the day before had tested positive for drugs, leading to Italy’s disqualification.

Our campaign had started well enough. African champions, as we are today, we began by walloping Bulgaria 3-0 before falling to Argentina 2-1. In the final group game, we beat the Greeks 2-1. So, as the second-round elimination game against Italy rolled by, we were confident of victory. We scored first, but the Italians turned it around and won the game. Nigeria's debut was over.

But the next day, the rumor about the Italian drug tests had spread like wild fire, and people were on the streets celebrating our passage to the quarter finals. Of course, when the truth emerged, we were left in a worse state of depression than after the actual elimination. Rumors are a staple of Nigerian football, and that incident made me promise myself that I would try and verify every story.

Eleven years later, on Oct. 8, 2005, Nigeria played Zimbabwe at the National Stadium in Abuja. Nigeria not only needed to win; we needed Angola to lose or draw against Rwanda in Kigali. Any other combination would see us fail to qualify for the World Cup.

Midway through the second half, with the Eagles beating the hapless Zimbabweans, celebrations began in the stadium as word spread that Rwanda had taken the lead against Angola. With my sense of caution, and above the din, I made two calls.

The first was to my father, and the second was to Oria, both in Benin, both who had opted to watch the Angola match on TV because they felt that it had more of a bearing to our qualification. Both told me that it was still goalless in Kigali, and I informed some of the people around me. They got angry and threatened me with bodily harm for sharing bad news. So, when Oria called back to tell me that Angola had scored, I quietly made my way out.

Nigerian fans were still celebrating when I reached the outside of the main bowl, but as the truth of the result in Kigali gradually began circulating, euphoria gave way to anguish.

The coming World Cup, with all its thrills and frills will be one that will have around-the-clock coverage in Nigeria. But somehow, when emotions are involved, people have a penchant to believe what makes them feel good. Let's hope that Nigerians can rally around the team, in spirit and with verification, to make an enjoyable spectacle. Up Eagles!

As told to Africasacountry. Cheta Nwanze (Twitter: @Chxta) is a Nigerian editor.