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#1 Nigeria
The presence of Nigeria is probably the most surprising element in our list, considering the fact that the African nation is the most successful team in the history of the Under-17 World Cup with five titles and is even the current title holder. They have won the last two editions of this mega event but failed to book a ticket to the final round of qualification for the 2017 affair.
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They lost to Niger 2-3 on aggregate in the two-leg fixture thus becoming the first incumbent winner failing to qualify for the title defence since Switzerland in 2009. Surprisingly, Niger will make their debut in this particular tournament later this year. The “Super Eagles” has been a powerhouse of African football in the 21st century having qualified in 5 out of the 6 FIFA World Cup competitions.
The most prominent player which Nigerian football produced was John Obi Mikel, who played top-flight European football for more than 10 years. In fact, he became a popular name after his promising display during the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Cup which was held in Finland.
