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Stephen Keshi: Ranking Big Boss's best six Nigeria debutants

One of the most touching tributes to honour the memory of departed Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi came from former Amkar Perm hitman Bright Dike, who made his Super Eagles debut in 2012.
Writing on social media back in 2016, the powerful frontman thanked the Big Boss for “making my dreams come true.”

It’s a sentiment sure to be shared considerably as the anniversary of the ex-defender's passing comes around again, with Keshi responsible for launching the Nigeria careers of various key figures in the nation’s game.

Here are some of the best...

Keshi's legacy

Perhaps the single greatest success story of Keshi’s time in charge of the national side, the Big Boss handed Omeruo a surprise invitation to the 2013 Afcon squad—even though the youngster only made his debut in a friendly weeks before the start of the tournament—and threw the wonderkid in at the deep end when Joseph Yobo was ruled out.
The defender, who improved steadily under Keshi’s tutelage and has now amassed over a half-century of international appearances, was present for both the 2018 World Cup and the run to the 2019 Nations Cup semi-finals.

​Kenneth Omeruo

Onazi, like Omeruo, encapsulated the new, vibrant mood around the Super Eagles that was fostered during the early stages of Keshi’s reign.
The midfielder—still only 23—made his debut against Liberia in late 2012, and quickly established himself as a key man during the 2013 Cup of Nations, playing every minute during the knockout stages.

“I just can’t believe Big Boss is dead,” the Lazio midfielder wrote on Twitter following Keshi's&nbsp;passing. “Rest in peace my legend.”

Ogenyi Onazi

For a time it looked as thought Nigeria might ‘lose’ Moses to England, but the forward eventually decided to throw his hat into the ring with the Super Eagles after discussions with both Nwankwo Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha.
The wideman&nbsp;made his debut against Namibia in a World Cup qualifier in June 2012—after his attempts were thwarted before Keshi’s reign in 2011—and would play a key role for the Eagles at the 2013 Cup of Nations.

He retired from international football after the 2018 World Cup.

Victor Moses

Balogun featured for only a brief cameo under Keshi—making his debut in a friendly against Mexico in early 2014—before injury ruled him out of the World Cup.
However, while the Bundesliga-based defender may not have featured again under the Big Boss—one of Keshi’s odder decisions—he has since enjoyed a long international career after returning to the fold, forging an excellent partnership with William Troost-Ekong.&nbsp;

“Thanks for making me a Super Eagle,” wrote the Mainz defender on Twitter back in 2016.

Leon Balogun

Perhaps the player whose name will remain most synonymous with Nigeria’s Nations Cup triumph in 2013, Mba was a surprise inclusion by the Big Boss, but proved a masterstroke after muscling his way into the side at the expense of Nosa Igiebor.
Mba scored decisive goals in both the quarter-final against the Cote d’Ivoire and the final against Burkina Faso, and was a key actor in perhaps Keshi’s finest hour.

Sunday Mba

One of Keshi’s early acts as Nigeria boss was to introduce Oboabona to the fold, with the defender making his debut in January 2012, only months after the Big Boss’s appointment.
Surely one of the great success stories of the manager’s tenure—even if his place has come under threat recently—the Rizespor man played almost every single minute for Nigeria during the first 18 months of Keshi’s reign.&nbsp;

Godfrey Oboabona

Stephen Keshi: Ranking Big Boss's best six Nigeria debutants | Goal.com

Stephen Keshi launched the Super Eagles careers of some of Nigeria’s key performers.