Nigeria U-23 Wore Super Falcons Kits At 2008 Olympics – Osaze

Former Super Eagles forward Osaze Odemwingie has disclosed that Nigeria’s U-23 team wore Super Falcons kits during the knockout stages of the 2008 Beijing Olympics after federation officials sent the men’s playing equipment back to Nigeria.

Odemwingie, speaking during a conversation with Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade on the Rash4Christ podcast said the administrative error arose because officials apparently expected Samson Siasia’s team to make an early exit from the tournament.

According to him, the delegation was so convinced the team would not progress that it shipped the players’ main kits home, reportedly to be given away.

Instead, Nigeria advanced beyond the group stage and went deep into the competition, leaving the players without their regular matchday gear. The team then resorted to using the women’s national team’s luggage, wearing Falcons kits for the second round and subsequent matches.

“At the Beijing Olympics with Siasia, we had to wear the girls’ kits for the second round and the rest,” Odemwingie recalled.

He explained that the Falcons had also exited the competition at that point, leaving their kits available. “Apparently, they thought we were not going to get far. They sent all the kits back home to give away or whatever. The Falcons, I think they didn’t make it through the next stage, they now left their kits.”

The makeshift arrangement did not escape the notice of rival teams. Odemwingie said players from the United States squad mocked Nigeria for wearing the same outfits match after match. Some Nigerian players responded by buying plain white T-shirts to vary their appearance.

“Then we made it out of the group and the American team is saying, ‘You guys are wearing the same clothes all the time.’ They laughed at us. Some of us went to buy plain white T-shirts,” he said.

Despite the logistical chaos, Nigeria’s campaign remained impressive. The team reached the gold-medal match, where it lost 1-0 to Argentina after an Ángel Di María goal, settling for silver.