Joseph Yobo suggests that Taiye Taiwo brought a lot to the Nigerian national team, citing his “aura” as a key reason for his sway.
After an impressive outing with Nigeria at the 2005 U20 Fifa World Cup in the Netherlands – where he was named third-best player, the left-back was drafted into the senior national team under coach Augustine Eguavoen.
Taiwo became an instant hit in the Super Eagles side thanks to his strength and speed as his influence grew. One of his highlights was his unstoppable freekick which handed Nigeria a 1-0 win over Ghana on his Africa Cup of Nations debut in 2006.