1 August 1976 - Kanu Can Do

On 1 August 1976, future Nigerian striker Nwankwo Kanu was born in the city of Owerri. He would go on to become the most decorated African footballer in history.

Kanu made his professional debut in 1991 at the age of 16 for Nigerian First Division club Federation Works, scoring 20 goals in 35 appearances before moving to fellow Nigerian club Iwaunyanwu Nationale, now known as Heartland FC, in 2002. He won the Nigerian Premier League title in 1993, his first silverware.

He rose to international prominence in 1993, when he signed with Dutch side Ajax. There, he won three consecutive Eredivisie titles (1994, 1995, 1996) and the UEFA Champions League (1995). He left Ajax for Inter in the summer of 1996, after captaining Nigeria to the Olympic gold medal - a feat that earned him the 1996 African Footballer of the Year award. But a defective aortic valve limited his playing time with Inter and he moved to Arsenal in February 1999.

He resumed his successful streak at Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles (2002 and 2004) and two FA Cups (2002, 2003). But the emergence of Thierry Henry pushed Kanu to the bench and, dissatisfied with his reduced playing time, he moved to West Bromwich Albion in 2004. He spent two seasons with West Brom, then moved to Portsmouth, where he again raised the FA Cup in 2008.

13 February 1999 - A Lesson For France Unheeded

On 13 February 1999, Nigerian forward Kanu made a memorable—and controversial—debut for Arsenal, who had just signed the 22-year old from Inter earlier that month.

The Gunners were hosting Sheffield United in the 5th round of the FA Cup and had taken a 1-0 lead thanks to a 28th-minute goal from midfielder Patrick Vieira. Sheffield United equalized shortly after the break with a 48th-minute header from Brazilian forward Marcelo, so the score was even at 1-1 when Kanu (above at far left) came on in the 66th minute.

With about 10 minutes left in the match, a United player went down with an injury just as Dennis Bergkamp was chasing down a ball played back to the United keeper. The keeper kicked the ball into touch and the official halted play briefly while the injured player received treatment. When Arsenal's Ray Parlour took the ensuing throw, most of the players on the pitch expected him to give possession back to United.

Nobody told Kanu, however, who received the throw and raced down the field and crossed the ball for his teammate, winger Marc Overmars (above, second from left), to slot home. United's players and staff protested, but the goal stood and Arsenal emerged 2-1 winners.

After the match, Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger agreed that the final goal had been scored unfairly and proposed that the match be replayed. After some initial hesitation, the FA relented and the replay was held ten days later at Highbury, where Arsenal again won 2-1.

When former Gunner Thierry Henry later scored a controversial goal for France to eliminate the Republic of Ireland from 2010 World Cup qualification, Wenger urged his home country to offer a replay, but the FFF declined.

3 August 1996 - The Super Eagles Have Landed

On 3 August 1996, Nigeria beat Argentina 3-2 in the gold medal match of the Summer Olympics before a crowd of 86,117 in Athens, Georgia's Sanford Stadium.

The Nigerian side, nicknamed the Super Eagles, had impressed during their first World Cup appearance two years earler, when they won their group, then lost in the first knockout round to eventual runners-up Italy in extra time. They had also won the African Cup of Nations in 1994.

In the 1996 Olympics, they finished the group stage even on points with Brazil and Japan, with two wins and one loss each, but finished in second position on goal differential (Brazil finished first). They then defeated Mexico 2-0 in the quarterfinals before beating Brazil 4-3 in the semifinals with a dramatic come-from-behind victory. With Brazil up 3-2, striker Nwankwo Kanu scored a 90th minute equalizer to force extra time, then won the game with a golden goal in the 94th minute.

Nigeria received more last-minute heroics in the Final. After giving up a 3rd-minute goal, then twice drawing level, the match was tied at 2-2 in the 90th minute when midfielder Emmanuel Amuneke received the ball about 10 yards out from the Argentine goal and sent a soft looping shot over the head of keeper Pablo Cavallero for the win.