Height of fanaticism or height of patriotism

Passionate Nigerian fans during a recent match

No need to caption this. His expression says it all

Football is a global sport that pops up lots of emotions to the extent that fans cry if their favourite team loses.  It's a sport ardent followers pay any amount to watch and some die hard fans even go ahead and make bets which has led to loss of lives and properties on several occasions.  The game of football elicits so much followership that it is cash cow for so many vested interests; hence the large amounts of money pumped into the game, legally and illegally.

In a football match between two teams, there must be a winner especially if it’s a knockout match and both teams will surely have to do everything necessary to avoid defeat. All the players on pitch regardless of their positions will do all in their football power to win the matches and when a goal is scored against a team, it becomes imperative to score back. But it becomes very painful when trying to equalize or win a game, a player then scores an own goal. It demoralizes the whole team in several ways and more so, the fans who probably had put in their bets.

An own goal is when a player scores a goal against their own—not the opposing—team, during sports games in which points-scored are referred to as "goals" (e.g., football/soccer). An own-goal is usually accidental, and may result from an attempt at a defensive play that either failed or was unexpectedly intercepted by an opposing player. It is considered to be one of the more embarrassing blunders in all of sports. An own goal is counted as a regular goal.

In Nigeria, own goal is termed ‘escobar’ in reference to a Colombian player, Andres Escobar. Escobar is best known for having been murdered in the aftermath of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, reportedly as punishment for having scored an own-goal which contributed to the team's elimination from the tournament. Escobar's infamous own goal occurred in a match against the United States on June 22, in the second match of Colombia at the World Cup. Stretching to cut out a pass from American midfielder John Harkes, he deflected the ball into his own net. The United States won the game 2–1. And that that was the beginning of the end for him. Ten days after the incident, he was killed. The reason of his death isn’t exactly known but everyone know it’s because of the own goal. His fiancées then said one of the assailants shouted ‘goal’ after killing him.

Escobar is not the only player who has scores own goals that led to loss of his team. In the 2001 UEFA Cup Final, with the score tied at 4–4 in the 27th minute of extra time, Deportivo Alavés defender Delfí Geli scored an own golden goal to give Liverpool immediate victory. The first goal scored in the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament was an own goal against Brazil by defender Marcelo Vieira. During what would become Bayern Munich's most successful season in their history  in 2012, defender Jérôme Boateng scored an own goal in a Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen. This was the winning goal, and had it not occurred Bayern Munich would have ended the season undefeated in the Bundesliga. In 2008, John Arne Riise scored an own goal in the Champions League semi-final first-leg. It was scored with effectively the last touch of the game and gave Chelsea a vital away goal and 1–1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. Chelsea later went on to win the second leg, 3–2, after extra time and progressed through to the Champions League final, along with Liverpool's bitter rivals Manchester United. In 2013, Nicolas Vallar and Jonathan Tehau of the Tahiti national football team scored two own goals in a Confederations Cup match against Nigeria. Nigeria ended up winning, 6–1. And on June 30, 2014, our own Joseph Yobo scored an own goal against France, effectively killing off any slight hope of scoring a late equalizer. That match was his last match for the national team. Expectedly, he received backlash from Nigerians who have for the past few years have shown disdain at the most capped player in the National team.

Many Nigerians felt very bitter that the team lost but Yobo compounded the misery with the own goal. His adorable Ada came out in his defense, though lame and poor, on the social media and had this to say “All you hateful people that didn’t even realise it was own goal at first Heck, most of y’ll didn’t even watch that last minute part of the match that’s if Nepa gave yu light to watch the game at all but as soon as they confirmed it was own goal by yobo’ Y’all be like let’s go ham on his wife (that b**ch) steady posting Louboutin pics on ig.#theirisgodo #toobadwelost but #goodgamefromyoboandtheteam #teamnigeria moving on, congrats to Joseph yobo for being the first Nigerian player to get to 100 caps. #recordholder #idontbreak #idontevenbend #ijustlaughatyourbitterness”

The reason for Escobar’s death was attributed to either a drug deal gone south or the own goal. Many felt those that killed him must h

'You must score' so he says the Nigerian fan

ave had some bettings hinging their bets on Columbia and he scored.  Yobo finally broke the heart of many Nigerians and were ready to 'deal' with him from the airport. Several Nigerians aired their displeasure at Yobo on social media and looked like as if he was going to be dealt if he ever stepped his foot in Nigeria. Good for him, he is on holiday with his wife. Nigerians anger will be down and no harm will befall him surely. Apart from Yobo, Mikel was a potential target for his below-par performance. He wasn’t spared as he was called names of different meanings. In fact, the name ‘Mikel’ is a new addition to Nigerian English dictionary. However, Nigerians shouldn’t be blamed for voicing their anger; it’s as a result of their love for the game of football and were displeased that some individuals were toying with their emotions, love and money.

There was this joke on a popular social media platform and it reproduced here: After their return from Brazil World cup, Super Eagles players were so ashamed of their great failure that they decided to disguise themselves so as not to be recognized Mikel Obi disguised himself as a monk, while walking round the street of Jos, suddenly an old lady walked up to him and said “HI Mikel”. Mikel was amazed and annoyed that the old woman could recognize him, disappointed, he went home and dressed as a Mallam. Again he bumped into the same old lady and she said "How do you do mikel? Confused, Mikel asked "But how do you recognise me Mama?. The old lady laughed out loud and said “Are you silly or what? It’s me Joseph Yobo"