• Ronaldinho Photo: Sun News Publishing

Index

The fear of Brazil’s Ronaldinho and Argentina’s Lionel Messi may be the beginning of wisdom for some other countries participating in the forthcoming Olympic Games in Beijing, but certainly not for Nigeria, as the country’s Dream Team IV are poised to crush every obstacle that may stand between them and the soccer gold.

Leading the pack of players whose voices were laced with optimism after shedding gallons of sweat to make the last team list of the Beijing-bound team, was Everton of England playmaker, Victor Anichebe, who told Daily Sunsport in their hotel lobby that no player in the world would cow or intimidate them, as they had all resolved to work their fingers to the bones to ensure that Nigeria replicate the victory of Atlanta 1996.

"Brazilians and Argentines may be parading some of the best players in Beijing, going by the list they released recently, but that is not to say they would just walk through other teams," Anichebe said.
"They have quality players, but we have our strength and talents to rub shoulders with them. We are not scared one bit by the presence of the like of Messi, Ronaldinho, Anderson, Mascharano or whoever is in their teams, because we already know them and can stand up to face them squarely.
"They do not have more than two legs. So, I don’t see why we should be scared by names. When we get there, we shall see who is better as a team."

Sani Kaita, on his part, stated that they had played against Messi before at the Under-20 level and that it would be a pleasure facing him again for them to take a revenge of the 2–1 pain he inflicted on Nigeria in the final of the World Youth Championship in Holland three years ago.
Ambrose Vanzekin, who faces a stiff competition for the goalkeeper’s shirt with Nigeria’s No.1, Vincent Enyeama, admitted that the battle would be tough with the calibre of players coming from Brazil and Argentina, but was sure the DreamTeam would do well.

He stated that the players coming for the Olympics were already established in their respective clubs and no one among them would say the other is inferior.
Meanwhile, Chief Coach of the team, Samson Siasia, has admitted that he was in a fix to produce the final list of players for the Olympics, even as he said that only the best would be selected, adding that he would pick the team by Sunday night.

On the possibility of taking Ambrose Efe to the Games, Siasia stated that he would rely on fitness, quality and advice of the doctors before producing his final team list.