Former Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju, made his debut appearances at the country’s maiden appearance at the mundial soccer competition, its 1994 edition, making a substitute appearance in Nigeria’s opening game win over Bulgaria.
Adepoju, in the 69th came in for Samson Siasia, etching his name in Nigeria’s men national team history as the first substitute player in the global competition in the game the Super Eagles won 3-0 over the Bulgarians.
The Ibadan-born figure also made a sub-appearance in the side’s second game against Argentina which the team lost by two goals to one, after which he came on again in the last group stage game against Greece, helping the West Africans muster a 2-0 win over the Europeans to ensure progress to the Round of 16, which ended his involvement at the competition as the Super Eagles lost in extra-time against Italy during the Round of 16 knock-out phase.
The eviction of his side did not stop him from becoming the first player for Nigerian to play in all games at a World Cup edition as a substitute following his coming-ins in the group stage games.
However, he would not be a substitute player at the next World-Cup edition in France 98, where the Headmaster, as he is fondly called, in his first start in the competition, scored a crucial equalizer for the Super Eagles against Spain, in a pulsating 3-2 comeback win over the Europeans in Nantes, also featuring in the 1-4 pummeling in the hand of Denmark at the Round of 16, ending the team’s participation in the tournament.
Although he would get on the plane to the far-east for the 2002 edition held in Korea and Japan as a bystander, his seven World Cup appearances and one goal scored puts him in a celebratory place in his national team career.