The Super Eagles under the tutelage of Coach Stephen Keshi have ended a 19-year Africa Cup of Nations title drought with a 1-0 final victory over Burkina Faso at Soccer City, Johannesburg.
Home based Sunday Mba’s goal gave the Super Eagles a deserved 1-0, 40 minutes into the first half.
It was an opportunist goal by Mba and his second of the tournament, having struck a superb match-winner in the 2-1 quarter-final defeat of pre-tournament title favourites Ivory Coast.
Among the rewards for the Super Eagles is a $1.5 million first prize and a place at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, where they will face world and European champions Spain, Tahiti and Uruguay.
It was a result that took winning coach Stephen Keshi into the record books as he equalled the feat of late Egyptian Mahmoud El Gohary by winning gold medals as a player and a coach.