Coach Stephen Keshi Died at 54: Nigerians Pay Tribute to Its Football Legend

#StephenKeshi                  #BigBoss              #AfricanFootballLegends

Stephen Keshi, the Nigerian football legend who won 64 caps playing for the Super Eagles, has died at the age of 54.

Keshi, who played as central defender and went on to captain the Nigeria national team, was one of only two people to win the Africa Cup of Nations both as a player and a coach.

"Stephen Keshi has gone to be with his wife," his family said on announcing his death.

The statement notes that since the death of his wife, Kate, on December 9 last year, Keshi had been "in mourning".

"He came back to Nigeria to be with her," it said. "He had planned to fly back today, before he suffered a cardiac arrest. He has found rest."

As a player Keshi, referred to by his admirers as "Big Boss", was part of the Super Eagles team that won the Nations Cup in 1994 and narrowly missed out on a World Cup quarter-final place the same year.

He had a long career, playing for the Eagles between 1981 and 1995. In 1994 Nigeria reached number five in the Fifa World Rankings ‒ the highest-ever ranking for any African Team 

Keshi coached the national side over three spells, leading Nigeria to the 2013 Nations Cup title in South Africa and the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Keshi is survived by his four children.

Facts About Stephen Keshi:

• Born in Delta State Nigeria in January 31, 1961

Awards

• AFCON 1994 Winner as Captain and player of Super Eagles

• AFCON 2013 Winner as Coach of Super Eagles

• CAF Award: African Coach of the Year 2013

Playing Career at the Senior Level

Years          Team         

1979 ACB Lagos         

1980–1984           New Nigeria Bank

1985 Stade d'Abidjan   

1986 Africa Sports      

1986–1987           Lokeren     

1987–1991           Anderlecht

1991–1993           RC Strasbourg    

1993–1994           RWDM      

1995 CCV Hydra         

1996 Sacramento Scorpions  

1997–1998           Perlis FA

Year                    National team                          Cap

1981 – 1995                   Super Eagles of Nigeria 64

Coaching Career

Year           Teams

2004–2006           Togo National team

2007–2008           Togo National team

2008–2010           Mali National team

2011 Togo National team

2011–2014           Nigeria National team

2015 Nigeria National team