Daniel Amokachi became Everton's record signing and first black player for two decades after starring for Nigeria in the 1994 World Cup finals
Nigeria's Daniel Amokachi celebrates his goal against Bulgaria at the 1994 World Cup
Nigeria's Daniel Amokachi celebrates his goal against Bulgaria at the 1994 World Cup(Image: David Cannon/ALLSPORT)
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The ECHO’s Christopher Beesley continues his daily series of articles on Everton and the World Cup running throughout the tournament in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
Just a few weeks after starring for Nigeria in his country’s World Cup debut, Daniel Amokachi was arriving to great fanfare at Goodison Park as Everton’s record signing. Despite being Africa’s most-populous nation, Nigeria had never qualified for the World Cup finals until 1994 but they arrived with a bang in the USA.
On June 21, Amokachi and his Super Eagles team-mates proved to be the biggest stars in Dallas since J.R. Ewing when they defeated eventual semi-finalists Bulgaria 3-0 at the Cotton Bowl. Amokachi’s late strike partner Rashidi Yakini, who died 14 years ago aged just 48, had the honour of scoring Nigeria’s first goal in the World Cup finals when he poked home from close range on 21 minutes and famously celebrated in the back of the net.
Two minutes ahead of half-time, Amokachi doubled his side’s lead when he outmuscled Zlatko Yankov in the area, rounded goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov and fired a left-foot shot into the empty net before celebrating with a dance.
Emmanuel Amunike’s header 10 minutes into the second half completed the rout and although Nigeria were edged out 2-1 by Argentina – winners and then runners-up from the previous two tournaments – in their next game in Foxborough, they remained in Massachusetts for their final group fixture with a chance to progress.
Playing against Greece, Finidi George’s goal in first-half stoppage time put the Super Eagles in front and then Amokachi’s powerful drive from outside the area in the 95th minute sealed a 2-0 victory that ensured they topped the group on goal difference with Bulgaria and Argentina also both qualifying with six points.
In the last-16, Nigeria faced an Italy side that would make it through to the final, again in Foxborough – the site of England’s infamous 2-0 loss to the USA the previous year – but despite Amunike firing them in front on 25 minutes, they’d bow out of the competition in extra-time.
An injured Amokachi was forced off just 10 minutes after Nigeria went ahead and a brace from Roberto Baggio, who equalised in the 88th minute before slotting home the winner from the penalty spot on 102 minutes, put the Azzurri through.
At a mere, 21 though, Amokachi, who played his club football in Belgium with Brugge, had become a hot property for clubs across Europe.
In an interview with 1990s football podcast Alive and Kicking, he explained how he was cautioned at the time about joining Everton, who hadn’t had a black player since Scouser Cliff Marshall, who made eight appearances two decades earlier. He said: “The move to Goodison Park just came out of the blue. My agent and Club Brugge were deep in talks over a move to Juventus.
“I was sitting back, continuing to do my training during pre-season. Then I think the deal fell through and I got a phone call saying Everton are willing to take you in.
“I said, ‘I’d love to be in the Premier League, it’s an experience for me’. But they told me, ‘ah but it’s Everton and they’re a racist club’.
“I said, ‘I don’t think if they were racist they would spend so much on a black man from Africa’. I ended up putting pen to paper at Goodison and from the moment I came out of the tunnel to be introduced I felt the love of my life.”
The Everton and the World Cup series sees Christopher Beesley writing about the Blues' links with the tournament throughout the 2026 finals
The Everton and the World Cup series sees Christopher Beesley writing about the Blues' links with the tournament throughout the 2026 finals
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Amokachi’s name was first linked to Everton in the ECHO on August 26 with his Bulgarian World Cup opponent Emil Kostadinov of Porto also in the frame but three days later he had joined for a club record £3million, eclipsing the £2.2million fee paid for Tony Cottee some six years earlier. The ECHO welcomed his arrival in its comment section, writing: “One of soccer’s most persistent and dangerous myths has finally been put to rest.
“Everton’s signing of Nigerian World Cup star Daniel Amokachi is clear confirmation that the Goodison club are only too willing to pay big money for top players whatever colour they are. Blues fans will welcome that.”
Indeed, chairman Peter Johnson insisted that race was not an issue when it came to the squad recruitment, declaring: “Colour has nothing to do with it. It’s purely about a player’s ability at Everton.”
The ECHO also reported that the Blues had fended off a late attempt by Atletico Madrid to hijack their deal for Amokachi after the Spanish club’s controversial president Jesus Gil “made a money no object bid for his signature.”
It seemed the only colour that mattered at the time, was the hue of Amokachi’s blazer. Recalling the night he was paraded in front of the fans before a match against Nottingham Forest on August 30, 1994 while the strains of Elton John’s hit song ‘Daniel’ played on the Goodison Park public address system, he told the ECHO in 2020: “I was really excited to be a young player from Africa, coming to the Premier League.
“My first encounter with the fans was a home game. I went shopping and tried my best to find a blue blazer in Everton’s colours.
Daniel Amokachi sports his specially-bought blue blazer as he is unveiled as an Everton player ahead of their game against Nottingham Forest on August 30, 1994
Daniel Amokachi sports his specially-bought blue blazer as he is unveiled as an Everton player ahead of their game against Nottingham Forest on August 30, 1994
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“They announced my name and from the time I first walked on to the pitch at Goodison Park, the vibe was there and it made me feel like I belonged there. The way the fans reacted, my charisma and flamboyance running from one end to the other end, they took to me from day one.
“With the Blue Army supporters, if you play for one minute, five minutes or 90 minutes but play with your heart, they will support you and I’m one of those players. I was always carrying a smile, even when I was going through a rough patch during my first few games.
“I had to work hard to achieve the fitness for the Premier League style of football. I was in the reserves for a time but I never held back, working hard in training and playing in reserve games.
“I was determined that if the gaffer put me in then I would run my b******s off and the fans appreciate it. There were a few games when the team weren’t doing well and the supporters were chanting ‘Daniel Amokachi’ to bring me on so that made me really excited and made me feel at home.”
Today’s games: Group A: Czechia v South Africa, 5pm, Atlanta, Mexico v South Korea, 2am Friday, Guadalajara; Group B: Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina, 8pm, Los Angeles, Canada v Qatar, 11pm, Vancouver.