Former Super Eagles Midfielder Henry Nwosu Dies At 62

A former Super Eagles midfielder, Henry Nwosu, has died at the age of 62.

The death of the Imo State-born football legend was announced on Saturday by his former teammate and fellow 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Segun Odegbami.

Odegbami disclosed that Nwosu died in the early hours of Saturday after spending several days in intensive care at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja.

“Henry Nwosu passes on!

“After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4:00 am this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where he had been in intensive care since Wednesday,” Odegbami wrote.

“It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the conveyor of the news of the death of Henry Nwosu MON. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in Heaven,” he added.

Member of historic 1980 AFCON team

Nwosu was the youngest member of Nigeria’s 1980 Africa Cup of Nations squad, where the then Green Eagles secured their first continental title on home soil.

He was widely recognised for his vision, creativity and technical ability in midfield and later became a prominent figure in Nigerian domestic football.

Career after retirement

Following his retirement from active football, the former international remained involved in the sport as a coach and mentor, contributing to the development of younger players.

Nwosu’s death comes only days after Nigerian football lost another respected figure.

Former Super Eagles coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, who led Nigeria to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea, died on March 9 at the age of 88.

Both Nwosu and Onigbinde were notable members of the Green Eagles set-up in the 1980s, with Onigbinde serving as coach of the national team between 1982 and 1984.