Nigerian football mourns as 1980 AFCON hero Nwosu dies

Nigeria’s football community has been thrown into mourning again following the death of former Super Eagles midfielder Henry Nwosu, who died on Saturday at the age of 62, only days after the passing of former national team coach Adegboye Onigbinde, Sunday PUNCH reports.

News of Nwosu’s death was announced by his former teammate and Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami, who disclosed that the ex-international died at about four o’clock in the morning at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital after several days in intensive care.

According to Odegbami, the former midfielder had spent five days in hospital battling for his life before he passed away. In a message shared on his media platforms, he said he received the news with deep sorrow and described the late footballer with the nickname he was known for during his playing career.

“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,” Odegbami wrote, adding that the player he fondly called the “Youngest Millionaire” died at about four in the morning at the hospital where he had been receiving intensive medical attention since Wednesday.

President Bola Tinubu also expressed condolences to the footballer’s family and the wider sporting community, recalling the midfielder’s impact on the national team.

In a statement released by presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga, the president described Nwosu as an exceptionally skilled player whose artistry on the pitch left a lasting impression.

“Nigerians will always remember the late playmaker for the pride and joy he brought to the nation and for inspiring many compatriots to greater accomplishments,” the statement said.

The Nigeria Football Federation said the country had lost one of the most talented midfielders of his generation, describing his death as another painful moment for the sport.

In the federation’s statement, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi said the loss came while the football community was still grieving the death of former national team coach Adegboye Onigbinde.

“This is another very sad news, even as we are still mourning the demise of Chief Onigbinde,” Sanusi said, noting that Nigerian football would “never forget the enormous contributions of Henry Nwosu both as a player and a coach”.

Nwosu was widely regarded as one of the finest left-sided midfielders to have played for Nigeria and was the youngest member of the Green Eagles squad that won the country’s first continental title at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

He later played in the finals of the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations and 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, both against Cameroon, establishing himself as a key figure in the national team throughout the decade.

Tributes have continued to pour in from across the sporting community. The National Sports Commission described Nwosu as “one of Nigeria’s football icons and a true patriot of the game.”

Director General Bukola Olopade said the late midfielder embodied the passion and creativity that define Nigerian football.

“Nigeria has lost one of its football icons and a true patriot of the game. Henry Nwosu was not just a member of the historic 1980 AFCON-winning team; he was a symbol of the passion, discipline and creativity that define Nigerian football,” Olopade said.

The national team, the Super Eagles, also paid tribute to the late midfielder, recalling his role in Nigeria’s first continental triumph.

“We commiserate with the family of Henry Nwosu on his passing. A member of Nigeria’s historic squad that won the 1980 African Cup of Nations. Rest in peace!” the team wrote in a message on its official X account.

Nwosu enjoyed a distinguished club career in Nigeria, starring for New Nigerian Bank and ACB of Lagos before later playing in Ivory Coast. Known for his creativity, dribbling and vision, he remained involved in football after retirement, working as a coach with several domestic clubs and mentoring younger players.

Clubs and institutions associated with the late midfielder also paid tribute, including Gateway FC, where he served as coach between 2013 and 2015, and Heartland FC, where he once held administrative roles. Both described him as a dedicated servant of the game whose influence extended far beyond his playing career.

“Nwosu’s contributions to the game and the inspiration he gave to countless young footballers will never be forgotten. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” former Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Amuneke said.

Nwosu is remembered as one of the key figures of the generation that established Nigeria as a force in African football, a legacy that many within the sport say will endure long after his passing.

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