As Africa’s representatives continue their quest for glory at the FIFA World Cup 2026, few people understand the emotions, pressure, and excitement of football’s biggest stage better than Footy-Africa’s interlocutor Finidi George.
The former Nigeria winger played at two FIFA World Cups, in the United States in 1994 and France in 1998, featuring in 10 matches for the Super Eagles. He was part of the golden generation that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and helped announce Nigeria’s arrival on the global stage with memorable performances at both tournaments.
While reflecting on his own World Cup memories in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa, Finidi George has also been closely following Africa’s representatives at the ongoing tournament. The former Ajax star believes the continent has made a promising start, particularly because most teams avoided defeat in their opening matches.
“Not bad at all. I wouldn’t say it has been bad for Africa,” he said. “The first game at the World Cup is always very important. For most of the African teams, not losing was already a positive result. I am particularly impressed with how Morocco went about it with Brazil, it was a good performance.”
“Ghana did not play well, same as Ivory Coast, but they won and that is what matters in these types of tournaments. If you lose your first game, it becomes very difficult because you then have to win the next two matches. But if you get a draw, there is still hope. If you win your next game, suddenly you have four points and you are in a good position.”
“So I am happy that most of the African teams did not lose their first games. We are looking forward to seeing what they do in the second round of matches.”
Three decades after his first World Cup appearance, Finidi still speaks about the competition with the excitement of a young player preparing for his debut.
“It is the best feeling you can have. You feel on top of the world because it is the biggest stage and all the cameras are on the players,” Finidi exclusively told Footy-Africa.
“To be opportune to play at the World Cup is pure joy, a dream come true. Those that win games feel special because it is a different feeling. You are going to the biggest stage in football. You are very happy and willing to perform.”
World Cup 2026. Germany vs Ivory Coast: where to watch, probable lineups
For many players, the World Cup is the pinnacle of a career. For Finidi, who was only 23 when Nigeria made their World Cup debut in the United States, the memories remain as vivid as ever.
“I don’t know how to explain it. There is that joy, like butterflies in your stomach,” he recalled. “We played our first game in Dallas and when we got to the stadium to train before the match, I saw the pitch and just said, ‘Wow’.
“We looked at the grass and were asking ourselves, ‘Is this really grass?’ We were fascinated. We knew we would be playing there the next day and it was an unbelievable feeling. If you have never experienced it, it is difficult to explain. Every footballer should experience that at least once in their career.”
Yet for many Nigerian supporters, Finidi’s most enduring World Cup memory remains his goal against Greece at USA ’94 and the celebration that followed.
Nigeria were cruising to a 3-0 victory when Finidi found the net, scoring what would become his only World Cup goal. What happened next would become one of the most replayed moments in Nigerian football history.
View this post on Instagram
The winger dropped to his knees and mimicked a urinating dog, a celebration that instantly became iconic, controversial and unforgettable.
According to Finidi, however, there was absolutely no planning involved.
“You know, I have always been a player who loved assisting others to score, so I wasn’t even expecting to score at that World Cup,” he explained.
“There was no celebration planned ahead of time. When I scored, I just started running and suddenly the celebration came into my head. It wasn’t planned at all. Later, when I watched it back, I asked myself, ‘Am I the one that did that celebration?’ I couldn’t believe it.”
While the celebration generated plenty of discussion, Finidi insists his focus was always on the goal itself.
“It is a great thing to score at the World Cup because it is not easy. We see players like Messi scoring goals and making it look normal, but I can tell you that scoring in a World Cup is very difficult. For me to score at the 1994 World Cup and then do that celebration was special. It wasn’t planned, it just came into my head.”
Some fans loved it. Others criticised it. Thirty-two years later, Finidi still has no regrets.
“Some people said I was mimicking a dog, and I understand that. But I didn’t see it as anything bad. I wasn’t hurting anyone. I was just having fun at the moment. Maybe it wasn’t the best celebration, but it was what came naturally to me. I cannot remove it now, and in this social media era, everything gets amplified.”
Then comes the line that perhaps best sums up both the goal and the celebration.
“No regrets at all. I am happy I scored the goal, happy that Nigeria won and happy that I made Nigerians happy that day.”
For a generation of Nigerian football fans, Finidi’s goal against Greece remains one of the defining images of USA ’94. For Finidi himself, it is simply another cherished memory from a tournament that remains the greatest stage in football.
And as Africa’s current stars chase their own World Cup dreams in 2026, the former Super Eagles winger hopes they too will create moments that will be remembered for decades to come.
