5 AMAZING FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NIGERIAN FOOTBALL ICON, STEPHEN KESHI

Former Super Eagles coach and ex-skipper of Nigeria national team, Stephen Keshi died of cardiac arrest in the early hours of Wednesday.

Before his death, Keshi lived as an achiever both as a player and a coach with a range of achievements to his name.

Below is a list of the things you need to know about the Nigerian Football icon:

1. He Played For Several Clubs All Over the World

During his playing career, Keshi was a center back who played in 386 games. He scored 61 goals throughout his career, and had played in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Most fans are aware of his long stint with the Belgium club Anderlecht, one of Europe’s most prominent teams.

He also spent one season (playing 16 games) with the Sacramento Scorpions in 1996, and finished his on-field career in a stint with Malaysia’s Perlis FA club.

2. A Remarkable Coaching Career 

After receiving coaching training in the U.S., Keshi began his coaching career in Togo, where he (remarkably) led the then-rag-tag team to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. He also coached in Mali before settling in Nigeria.

He believed that soccer clubs in Africa would do well to employ more African coaches, especially over less-qualified European coaches who often get the job.

3. An Outstanding Coaching Career With The Nigerian National Team 

Keshi, after winning AFCON 2013 with the Nigerian National Team 

Stephen Keshi won AFCON 2013 with the national team: he qualified the Super Eagles of Nigeria for 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, 2-yrs after he was appointed by NFF.

After many years of not making it to the tournament, Stephen Keshi qualified Nigeria for 2013 Confederation Cup in Brazil.

Also, Stephen Keshi qualified Nigeria for Brazil 2014 World Cup: becoming the first African coach to successfully qualify two African countries(Nigeria and Togo) for World Cup.

4. He’s a Self-Described Reserved Person

Getty Images

During his lifetime, Keshi would never put on a suit while on the field. He abhors white pants and doesn’t feel comfortable in a suit at all. According to Keshi, he was always on his feet yelling all day and wearing a multi-layered ensemble wouldn’t make a sense. This is especially the case because he lived in Africa where the weather is rarely (if ever) appropriate for a proper three-piece suit.

He considered himself reserved, heavy says, because he’d rather spend a quiet evening in with his brothers, or watching a movie with his wife, (who apparently “starved him” if Nigeria didn't perform well), before her death.

Even when he was a young soccer star who often had women fawning on him, Keshi wasn’t into partying or philandering. He believed self-discipline is the key to true success.

5.  He Was A Fulfilled Family Man 

Keshi was married to his wife Kate for 33years before she died of cancer on the 10 December, 2015.The union produced four children.


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