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Nigerian players celebrate their 3-2 victory over Argentina in the men's final of the 1996 Olympics.

The Nigerian team’s gold medal win was a beacon of hope during a time when Nigeria was enduring its most brutal autocratic leader.

Photo by Jerome Prevost/TempSport/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images.

Legends: Nigeria’s “Dream Team” Made African Football History at Atlanta ‘96 Olympics

Headlined by folk heroes like Nwankwo Kanu, Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha, Daniel Amokachi and more, the gold-winning team provided hope during a grim political time in Nigeria.