Odegbami won the 1980 Nations Cup with Nigeria

Odegbami scored two goals in the 1980 final, when Nigeria won their first Nations Cup title, and was then made team captain.

"The game is more technical now but we had some terrific individual players in those days," he told BBC Sport.

"I think there's too much passing in the game these days and that buries individual expressiveness on the ball."

Odegbami believes that, with the exception of Samuel Eto'o, the current tournament has not yet produced a truly outstanding performer.

Cameroon's Eto'o set a new all-time Nations Cup goalscoring record on Wednesday.

Up to now I've only seen people who are tentative and not expressive Segun Odegbami

"In those days there were so many superstars, like Abdul Razak and Mohammed Polo (both of Ghana)," he said.

"Eto'o has been here for so long and has set a standard for rest of Africa to follow.

"Freddie Kanoute (of Mali) didn't really impress much - I expected a lot from him, that this would be his Nations Cup, but it wasn't.

"Otherwise the rest of tournament will reveal the greats, but up to now I've only seen people who are tentative and not expressive.

"I see us lamenting the absence of so many of yesterday's stars.

"We miss Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), El-Hadji Diouf - he's a little tired now and may have played his last game for Senegal."

Odegbami believes that the exodus of Africans to top European clubs has affected team performances at the Nations Cup.

"I think we played some decent football in those days because most of us were playing in our domestic leagues and we played more as a team," he said.

"So to get a truly great superstar out of the championship takes a while these days."