Former Super Eagles’ skipper and coach, Stephen Keshi, is dead

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stephen keshi

Still beats me, will always beat me, the inexplicable import of sudden death…oh! what a very sad, shocking loss…


Nigerian football icon Stephen Okechukwu Keshi died suddenly in the early hours of Wednesday in Benin City, Edo state, TheCable understands.

The former international football player and coach had lost his wife of 33 years, Kate, last year after a prolonged battle with cancer.

TheCable confirmed his death from a member of his family as well as one of his close associates.

“He was not ill at all, never showed any signs of  illness, but we suspect he never got over the death of his wife,” a friend said.

He is survived by four children and his mother.

Keshi, the only Nigerian coach to have won the Africa Cup of Nations, achieved a rare feat in 2013 by becoming only the second person to win the trophy both as a player and a coach.
The only other person to have achieved the feat is Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary.

Stephen Keshi and Joseph Yobo of Nigeria celebrates during the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations final match between Nigeria and Burkina Faso on the 10th February 2013 at National Stadium in Johannesburg ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

Keshi, a product of St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos, started his playing career at a very young age at ACB Football Club, and later played for New Nigeria Bank, Stade d’Abidjan, Africa Sports, Lokeren, Anderlecht, RC Strasbourg, and a host of other clubs.

He represented Nigeria from 1982, at age 20, till 1994, most of the time captaining the Super Eagles and scoring vital goals from his position as a central defender.

He also coached Togo and Nigeria at the World Cup, as well as Mali.

Keshi, nicknamed the “Big Boss” for his leadership skills, is the fifth member of the all-conquering 1994 team to die, following Uche Okafor, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare.

RIP Stephen Keshi

 

source: saharareporters

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69 COMMENTS

  • Stephen Keshi has done notable three things a man must do in life: He has ASPIRED, he has INSPIRED and he is EXPIRED but his memory remain INDELIBLE in our hearts. RIP great icon!

  • Not easy losing one’s wife. Who feels it knows it. The family should have monitored his health after the demise of his wife. If not for my siblings and parents………. As a widower, l know how it feels.

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