Thousands of people turned out in Lagos last week to honour one of Africa’s greatest soccer players in his international testimonial.
Kanu Nwankwo, who plays for English league club Portsmouth and is a two-time African Player of the Year, retired from international soccer after 16 years on the Nigerian national team, including their disastrous outing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Super Eagles won the testimonial match 3-1 against a Rest of the World XI side, which featured top African soccer stars from around the globe. Kanu not only played for both sides, but also scored the first goal for his home team.
Speaking after the match, the 34-year-old said: “There’s a time to start and a time to finish, it has been a fulfilling ride from day one.”
He added: “I thank all the players who cut short their holidays from different places and the Nigerian fans who appeared for their endless love and support throughout my career.”
Current African Player of the Year Samuel Eto’o praised Kanu for his enormous achievement in soccer.
“Kanu is undoubtedly the most recognised, successful and talented footballer I have ever seen on the field,” he said. “It was not hard to honour him by travelling down because he is an icon of the African game and we must honour him.”
He continued: “After playing against him, I was honoured and today I came here to show how much we respect and appreciate his achievement, inspiration, motivation and charitable gesture.”
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor said Kanu’s success was the main source of inspiration in his career today.
“I cannot hide the fact that I moulded my career in his image and it is obvious that he still my inspiration and hero as a footballer,” he said.
Among all of his achievements, including his position as a Unicef ambassador, Kanu – who recovered from a serious heart defect in 1997 to reach the pantheon of soccer – will perhaps be best remembered as captain of the Nigerian team that won gold at the 1996 Olympic Games. His awards include three winners’ medals in the FA Cup winners’ medals and one each in the Uefa Champions League and Uefa Cup.
