10 Things to Know from Nigeria’s Football Style ‘Yori Yori’

As what the Ginga is to Brazil, Brazilians and the Samba Boys is what the ‘Yori Yori’ is to Nigeria, Nigerians and the Super Eagles of Nigeria – Nigeria’s male national football team.

The Yori Yori is an incredibly fun and cheery football style that thrived as far back as 1994 when the Nigerian national team was awarded the most entertaining team in the FIFA 1994 World Cup in the United States. The ‘Yori Yori’ boys would go on to mesmerize the world and the Samba Boys of Brazil to win the Olympic 1996 football tournament, beating a deadly Brazilian side that had Ronaldo, Bebeto and Rivaldo.

In this post, we delightfully write on ten incredible things you probably never knew about the Yori Yori, Nigerian’s fun and cheery football style.

What is Yori Yori?

Yori Yori is a ‘hybrid’ of the Brazilian Samba and the playing style of the Nigerian Super Eagles team. It is a unique blend of the African style of play, the Samba football style and the free flow Dutch style of play. The Yori Yori, unlike the Samba football, combines three cultures and footballing philosophies; strength, fun, and grace. 

10 Things to Know from Nigeria’s Football Style ‘Yori Yori’

1. Nigeria’s football style, Yori Yori, is influenced by three different football philosophies; the physical African football style, the Brazilian football style and the free flow Dutch football style.

2. Otto Gloria and Father Tico, both Brazilians who coached the Super Eagles passed on the Samba playing style to the Super Eagles while Clemence Westerhof and Johannes Bobfer infused the Dutch playing styles into Nigeria’s football during their time as coaches.

3. The Super Eagles thrived with the Yori Yori playing style in 1994 and two years later matched past a strong Brazilian and Argentinian side with the same football style, making them earn the ‘Dream Team’ title.

4. Among the ambassadors of Yori Yori football is none other than Austin JJ Okocha who exhibited the style in England, France and other parts of Europe during his playing days.

5. The Yori Yori football is entertaining for many reasons; it uses the fans’ trumpets and songs as its tempo while the players waltz past opposition defenders.

6. Goal celebrations are part of the Yori Yori style and some of the goal celebration forms over the years include but not limited to: back flips, Etigi or Zanku dance steps and various African leg work dance moves.

7. The Yori Yori football style is considered a hybrid of the Brazilian Ginga as it takes on its philosophies as one of the three forms that make up the Yori Yori style.

8. You are more likely to see the Yori Yori style of play in the Super Eagles when they are sure that they have won a game. Thus, feel the need to show off and give the fans something to mull over.

9. The origin of the Yori Yori style predates the 90’s and is considered an important aspect of Nigeria’s football culture.

10. No one knows how the name ‘Yori Yori’ came about. What we do know is that it influences the Super Eagles style of play and how goals are celebrated among the team.

You May Also Like

Ryan Lochte’s Net Worth, Biography, Career, Awards, Fact and Life Story

Ryan Lochte Net Worth: Ryan Lochte is an American competitive swimmer who has a net worth of $6 million. Lochte is one of the most successful Olympic swimmers in history, and he has won more medals than any other swimmer except for Michael Phelps. As of 2020, he holds world records for the 200-meter individual medley and other competitions. Over the course of his career, he has won a number of additional honors and accolades. With all that said, Lochte’s career was marred by controversy after he claimed that he had been robbed by three Brazilian men posing as police officers during the 2016 Olympics. This statement was later determined to be untrue, although subsequent evidence has shown that the entire debacle may have just been a misunderstanding. However, his next slip-up was rather undeniable. In 2018, he received a 14-month ban after failing a drug test. Early Life: Ryan Steven Lochte was born on August 3rd of 1984 in Rochester, New York. Although he was initially raised in Bristol, Ryan’s family moved to Florida when he was 12 so that his father could pursue a career as a swim coach. As a young teen, Lochte was initially undisciplined, but a series of losses motivated him to train hard and become a highly competitive swimmer. Sports Career: After a stellar career as a college swimmer, Lochte qualified for his first Olympics in 2004 and won both a silver and a gold medal. In 2008, he won two gold medals and two bronze medals. During this period, he often finished second with Phelps taking the win. After strong performances at the World Championships and the National Championships, Ryan won a staggering number of medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics. That year, he won two gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal. Another strong period followed while Lochte waited for his next chance to shine at the Olympics. Unfortunately, the competition would prove to be a disappointment for Ryan in a number of different ways. First of all, he only won a single gold medal for the 4×200 m freestyle relay. Secondly, a controversial moment marred his reputation forever, and it caused him to spiral out of the 2016 Olympics in a terrible fashion. Brand Endorsements: Even before 2012, Ryan was earning about $2.3 million per year thanks to endorsement deals with brands like Speedo, Gillette, Gatorade, Ralph Lauren, Nissan, AT&T, and many others. TV and Film: Over the course of his career, Ryan Lochte has appeared in a range of television shows. These include “30 Rock,” “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Celebrity Big Brother.” He also appeared in the film “Little Something for Your Birthday.” Relationships: Ryan has dated Kayla Rae Reid, who is a former Playboy Playmate of the Month. The pair became engaged in 2016, and one year later they welcomed their first child into the world. Lochte and Reid eventually married in 2018, and they subsequently had another child together. Controversy: Ryan’s first major controversy occurred during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. The incident has since been dubbed “Lochtegate.” One morning during the Olympics, Ryan and fellow athlete Jimmy Feigen spread a false story, claiming that they had been robbed and held at gunpoint by Brazilian criminals. Police later claimed that in reality, Ryan and his American teammates were the ones who had engaged in criminal behavior. As details emerged, it became clear that Ryan was drunk during the incident, and police reportedly had clear evidence that he had vandalized a bathroom at a gas station (although this evidence was later disputed). While the American athletes apparently paid for the damage they had caused, they later claimed they had been robbed in what may have been a misguided attempt to “cover their tracks.” Later in 2016, Lochte was charged with falsely reporting a crime and faced jail time of up to 18 months. However, these charges were dismissed because Ryan only spread the story through social media, and did not actually report the crime to the police. Still, the incident had terrible consequences for Lochte’s career. All four of his sponsors abandoned him, and he was suspended from the USA Swimming team for 10 months. Fortunately for Ryan, the apparel company TYR approached him with a new sponsorship deal in 2017. It got worse. In 2018, Ryan Lochte was suspended for a further 14 months after failing a drug test. It was revealed that he had received an intravenous injection of a prohibited substance. He later claimed that this substance was “vitamins” (possibly B-12), but in any case, the USDA bans intravenous transfusions of even permitted substances like vitamins if they are administered in doses of over 100 millileters. In his defense, Ryan claimed that he had never taken a prohibited substance in his life, and that he planned to continue training in order to compete in the 2020 Olympics. Financial Issues: As a result of his controversial actions, Ryan Lochte lost virtually all of his valuable sponsorship deals. As any Olympic athlete will tell you, this is essentially the only way these guys make money. In 2019, Ryan revealed that before this blow to his reputation, he was making well over $1 million per year from various brand endorsement deals. He also claimed that one lone sponsor was paying him $75,000 per year – enough to live comfortably for a single guy. Of course, all of this vanished in an instant after his story about the gas station incident blew up in his face, and it didn’t get any easier after he tested positive for doping. For whatever reason, Ryan continued with the lavish lifestyle he had grown accustomed to – even when all of his sponsorship income had dried up. Financial losses mounted, and Lochte admitted in 2019 that he had just $20,000 in savings and was “living paycheck to paycheck.” In the end, he was forced to sell or liquidate several assets, such as his $835-dollar-per-month Porsche and his home in Florida. This entire process reportedly taught Ryan the value of budgeting and the importance of focusing on his family first and foremost. Real Estate: In 2012, Ryan Lotte sold his residence in Gainesville, Florida for an undisclosed fee, although he originally purchased it back in 2006 for around $375,000. The home boasts 2,470 square feet of living space and an extremely spacious pool. It was later revealed that the decision to sell this property was the result of the aforementioned financial difficulties Lochte was experiencing. After moving out, Ryan later admitted that he and his family lived in an 1,800-square-foot apartment.
Read More