Over time, skills have popped up on the Nigerian soccer scene, confirmed promise and went on to attain success of their numerous careers.
Worthy of point out are the likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Celestine Babayaro, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Victor Osimhen, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, John Obi Mikel and so forth.
These gamers helped Nigeria win the Africa Cup of Nations, Olympic soccer gold medal and in addition claimed league titles in high international golf equipment.
A few of them went so far as being topped CAF Participant of the 12 months. Amongst them are Kanu, Amuneke, Ikpeba and most not too long ago, Victor Osimhen.
Sadly, it has not at all times been all rosy as there have additionally been others who emerged on the scene with a bang however fizzled out.
On this piece, The Guardian lists 10 Nigerian skills who confirmed promise however didn’t stay as much as the hypes and expectations of soccer followers.
ETIM ESIN:
Thought to be one of the crucial gifted participant to ever come out of Nigeria Etim Esin, sadly, by no means lived as much as the promise he confirmed within the early a part of his profession no because of off subject points.
The hopes of thousands and thousands of Nigerians was heaped Esin’s younger shoulders as Nigeria’s Flying Eagles ready for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile in 1987.
Sadly, after leaving camp, he was shot by armed robbers in Surulere, Lagos, however recovered in time to make the Flying Eagles squad for the World Cup whose marketing campaign led to catastrophe, as they crashed out within the group stage.
“I believe the distraction from my gunshot and my inclusion within the workforce affected us as a result of nobody anticipated me to get well on time and in addition be capable to make the workforce,” he stated in a 2016 interview with The Cable.
“My making the workforce was a really huge distraction for the others. We had considered one of he finest squads then however cohesiveness wasn’t there. So, we misplaced to Brazil, we misplaced to Italy and drew with Canada. It was the perfect workforce in Africa then. The junior nationwide workforce. Everybody hoped on us. We even thought we might come again with the cup.”
Esin was then concerned in one of many largest scandals involving a Nigerian footballer after he was accused of raping his then girlfriend in Belgium who at the moment was 16.
He was later cleared of the accusations however it’s believed that the scandal ended his promising soccer profession as he by no means had the chance to showcase his expertise on the Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA senior males’s World Cup.
PHILIP OSONDU
The late Philip Osondu got here to limelight when he featured for the Golden Eaglets on the Canada 1987 U-16 FIFA World Cup the place he helped Nigeria attain the ultimate.
Regardless of dropping to the Soviet Union through penalty shootout, Osondu was awarded the Golden Ball award for his spectacular efficiency for the Golden Eaglets.
Osondu went on to make the Flying Eagles squad to the Saudi 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup because the workforce went all the best way to ultimate solely to lose 2-0 to Portugal.
It was believed that Osondu would go on to larger issues as everybody believed the subsequent step for him was the Tremendous Eagles as his spectacular outing on the U-20 World Cup earned him a transfer to Anderlecht.
Nevertheless, Osondu by no means made the step up in comparison with his Flying Eagles teammates like Mutiu Adepoju and Nduka Ugbade, as he struggled in Belgium, bouncing from one unknown membership to a different earlier than hanging his boots in 2004.
He tragically died in 2019 on the age of 48 whereas working in Namur ( a metropolis and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium). He felt unwell and was then picked up by an ambulance, and brought to a hospital, however died shortly thereafter.
RABIU IBRAHIM
Rabiu Ibrahim’s emergence made Nigerians believed lastly the inheritor to the legendary Austin Jay Jay Okocha had been discovered.
Ibrahim was a part of the Golden Eaglets workforce beneath the late Yemi Tella that gained the 2007 CAF U-17 Cup of Nations in Lome, Togo.
That very same 12 months, he was within the Eaglets squad that went on to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea.
He additionally featured for the Flying Eagles and beneath Samson Siasia, was a member of the workforce to the U-20 World Cup in 2009 in Egypt the place they misplaced within the spherical of 16.
Everybody believed it was only a matter of time earlier than Ibrahim take over the Tremendous Eagles midfield and make it his personal for a very long time,however issues by no means went as deliberate as he made simply 5 appearances for the Tremendous Eagles
He was included within the Tremendous Eagles squad by German coach Berti Vogts for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, together with his U-17 teammate Haruna Lukman. Nevertheless, a groin damage prevented him from collaborating within the event.
He earned his first full cap for the Tremendous Eagles on 13 June 2015, taking part in for 32 minutes in a 2–0 residence win over Chad in Kaduna for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
At membership stage, he signed for Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon in 2009 however didn’t make any appearances and joined PSV in 2011 and had two appearances.
He signed for Celtic forward of the 2012/13 season however might solely boast of 1 look earlier than transferring on to golf equipment like Kilmarnock, Trencin, Gent and Slovan Bratislava.
AMBROSE VANZEKIN
Ambrose Vanzekin wss in purpose for the Golden Eaglets to the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Finland alongside the likes of John Obi Mikel, Chinedu Obasi, Bala Ezekiel and Kolawole Anubi. Below the steerage of Austin Eguavoen the Eaglets didn’t progress past the group stage.
Vanzekin moved as much as the Flying Eagles amd featured prominently because the workforce gained the 2005 CAF U-20 AFCON and reached the ultimate of the FIFA U-20 World Cup within the Netherlands in the identical 12 months, solely to lose to an Argentine-inspired Lionel Messi aspect.
He stored progressing and this time stepped as much as the U-23 Eagles and helped the workforce get to the ultimate of the 2008 Beijing Olympics soccer occasion the place, as soon as once more fell to Argentina with Messi in motion.
After his exploits with the junior sides it was hoped that the subsequent level of name for Vanzekin was the Tremendous Eagles which, sadly, by no means got here therefore his worldwide profession got here to a halt.
Since retiring from skilled soccer, issues haven’t been rosy for Vanzekin.In September this 12 months, the 38-year-old shared his monetary ordeal in a video on his Tiktok web page.
Vanzekin who was appointed because the goalkeeper coach at Insurance coverage in 2021 — just a few months earlier than the membership gained promotion to the Nigeria Premier Soccer League (NPFL), stated he was paid N75,000 month-to-month which was not even ample for transport prices.
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He added that he begged for money from folks to attend coaching classes and owed folks throughout my group.
He stated after his remuneration was elevated, transportation charges consumed virtually all the pieces and he needed to trek lengthy distances at occasions to make coaching classes and needed to resign from the membership.
SUNDAY MBA
Sunday Mba was the revelation for the Tremendous Eagles aspect that emerged Africa Cup of Nations winners in South Africa in 2013.
Mba scored essential targets which contributed to the Tremendous Eagles clinching a 3rd continental title. His first purpose of the event was the winner within the 2-1 victory earlier than netting the one strike within the ultimate towards Burkina Faso.
He helped the home-based Tremendous Eagles qualify for the 2014 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) for the primary time ever and featured on the 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup in Brazil.
Sadly, he was not a part of the Tremendous Eagles squad that took half on the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Together with his exploits on the 2013 AFCON, it was the imagine of everybody that Mba can be round within the Tremendous Eagles for years to come back, however that was not the case as he spent simply two years, from 2012 to 2014 earlier than tapering off.
He signed for French membership Bastia however spent only one season (2014/2015) there and between 2015 and 2017 he was with Yeni Malatyaspor.
BARTHOLOMEW OGBECHE
Bartholomew Ogbeche confirmed promise through the Tremendous Eagles pleasant video games previous to the 2002 Korea/Japan FIFA World Cup.
One in all such video games was the 1-1 draw with Paraguay the place he tried a spectacular overhead kick which was palmed away by the keeper.
He made the ultimate squad for the 2002 World Cup however didn’t impress within the two video games he featured in (towards Argentina and Sweden) because the Tremendous Eagles crashed out within the group stage.
He was a part of the Tremendous Eagles squad that took half within the three-team Unity Cup invitational event in 2004 that additionally featured Republic of Eire and Jamaica.
He by no means received the prospect to get again into the workforce once more as he was constantly ignored in subsequent invites earlier than ultimately calling it stop with the nationwide workforce.
Nonetheless a teenager, he was signed by Paris Saint-Germain, making his debut with the primary squad through the 2001–02 season. Nevertheless, he didn’t settle, and was loaned out.
He then turned a journey man and appeared for golf equipment like Valladolid, Kavala, Cadiz, Alaves, Middlesbrough, Hyderabad, Mumbai Metropolis and Kerala Blasters.
DIMEJI LAWAL
A pacy and tough proper winger, Dimeji Lawal performed for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets within the 1987 FIFA U-16 World Championship in Canada the place they misplaced to Soviet Union within the ultimate on penalty shootout.
Additionally, he made the squad to the 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Saudi Arabia and helped the workforce get to the ultimate solely to fall to a 2-0 defeat to Portugal.
Lawal had achieved sufficient to get the eye of the Tremendous Eagles teaching crew beneath Clemens Westerhof and scouts from Europe.
He had the right begin as a Tremendous Eagles participant as he scored on his debut, in a 1992 African Nations Cup qualifier towards Togo in 1990 which ended 3-0.
However Lawal ended up simply taking part in three video games with only one purpose to his title as a Tremendous Eagles participant and by no means received the prospect to play on the AFCON or FIFA senior males’s World Cup.
He moved to Spain at age 18 and signed with Actual Madrid, and would spend two seasons with the B workforce, one within the Segunda División and one in Segunda División B.
He was by no means promoted to Madrid most important squad, and returned to Nigeria to play for Taking pictures Stars F.C.
In 1993, he joined Belgian Second Division aspect Ok.V. Kortrijk for one season and performed within the South African Premier Soccer League with Hellenic FC in 1994.
SANI EMMANUEL
Sani Emmanuel rose to prominence through the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup which was hosted in Nigeria.
He completed the event with 5 targets being the joint top-scorer and gained the Golden Ball award as he helped Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to a runners-up end behind Switzerland.
After doing effectively for the Golden Eaglets, he graduated to the Flying Eagles and made simply two appearances in 2011 with out scoring.
Additionally, he had an uneventful membership profession, transferring from one membership to a different with out
In 2012 Emmanuel signed for Lazio however didn’t make a single look for the membership and joined the likes of FC Biel-Bienne (mortgage), FC Biel-Bienne (mortgage), and Beitar Jerusalem.
In October 2014 after signing with Beitar Jerusalem, three weeks later, after taking part in solely 24 minutes for the membership, he was launched with the membership stating that the coach was not excited by him and that he didn’t function in future plans.
After leaving Beitar Jerusalem, Emmanuel had a trial at Bosnian aspect, FK Sarajevo, however failed in his try.
MACAULEY CHRISANTUS
The tall striker featured on the U-17 World Cup and was the highest scorer on the 2007 version in South Korea with seven targets, and was awarded the adidas Silver Ball.
He then went on to be part of the Flying Eagles making 4 look amd scoring only one purpose.
With the hope that the Tremendous Eagles have discovered the brand new Rashidi Yekini, it was to not be as Macaulay by no means received an invite from the teaching crew.
He ended up turning into a journey man, junketing from one membership to a different as he discovered it troublesome keep at a membership for a very long time.
Among the many golf equipment he performed for are Murcia, Zob Ahan, Hetten, FF Jaro, Reus, Sivasspor and AEK Athens.
HARUNA LUKMAN
Identical to his former Golden Eaglets teammates like Rabiu Ibrahim and Chrisantus Macaulay, Haruna Lukman confirmed promise however by no means lived as much as expectations.
He was captain of the Golden Eaglets to the 2007 U-17 World Cup in South Korea and in addition performed on the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
Lukman then made the Tremendous Eagles squad to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and was in motion towards Argentina and Greece.
Sadly he by no means turned a mainstay within the Tremendous Eagles as he was ignored in subsequent name ups by coaches.
Among the many golf equipment he performed for are AS Monaco, Dynamo Kyiv, Astana, Palanga, Anzhi Makhachkala (mortgage), Hoverla Uzhhorod (mortgage).
