Driving force: Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel will be a key performer for Nigeria at World Cup 2010

Nigeria's World Cup record: 1994 2nd rd, 1998 2nd rd, 2002 1st rd.

How Nigeria qualified for World Cup 2010: African Group B winners.

The Coach: Shaibu Amodu (Nigerian, 51). Appointed: April 2008. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.

Amodu is in his fourth spell as manager of Nigeria, following previous stints in 1994-95, 1998-99 and 2001-2002.

The Country: The Super Eagles qualified in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 win against Kenya in Nairobi. Nigeria had to win to have any chance of denying Tunisia and they fought back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1, but conceded a 79th-minute equaliser, only for Obafemi Martins to seal an emotional win.

Afterwards Shaibu said: "This is a typical Nigerian side which you can never rule out when it is faced with adversity. It's fantastic."

The country’s football history has links with Britain. Nigeria played their first unofficial game in October 1949, while still a British colony. The team played games in England against various teams such as Dulwich Hamlet, Bishop Auckland and South Liverpool. Nigeria’s first major success was a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games, with 3rd place finishes in 1976 and 1978's African Cup of Nations to follow.

Ampdu keeps coming back to take charge but he has yet to coach at the World Cup finals. He has some familiar players in his charge including captain Nwanko Kanu. In addition, Nigeria can boast Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel, Bolton’s Danny Shittu, Everton’s Joseph Yobo and Yakubu Aiyegbeni, and Seyi Olofinjana of Hull. Fulham’s Dickson Etuhu, Charlton’s Sam Sodje and another Everton striker, Victor Anichebe, may also feature for the Super Eagles in South Africa.

Telegraph verdict: Dramatic qualification sealed through Martins’s late goal against Kenya which showed that the Nigerians can be a force. Have quality in attack and will score goals while there are proven performers in Yobo and Yakubu, as well as Mikel. No-one will relish facing them.