A former Super Eagles’ midfielder Henry Nwosu has died at the age of 62.
The death of the former football star was announced on Saturday by his former teammate, Segun Odegbami.
According to him, Nwosu died in the early hours of Saturday after battling for his life for five days at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
Odegbami disclosed that the late footballer had been receiving treatment in the hospital’s intensive care unit since Wednesday before he passed away around 4:00 a.m.
Born on June 14, 1963, Nwosu enjoyed a distinguished football career with the Nigeria national football team, earning about 60 caps between 1980 and 1991.
He was the youngest member of the Nigerian squad that won the 1980 African Cup of Nations, a historic victory that marked Nigeria’s first continental title.
Nwosu also represented Nigeria at the 1980 Summer Olympics, where he scored the country’s only goal.
At club level, he featured for several team including the now-defunct New Nigeria Bank F.C. and African Continental Bank F.C. in Nigeria. He also played abroad for ASEC Mimosas in Côte d’Ivoire between 1988 and 1990, and later for Racing FC Bafoussam from 1990 to 1992.
After retiring from active football, Nwosu moved into coaching. He served as assistant coach to Adegboye Onigbinde when Nigeria qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also worked as assistant to Samson Siasia, who led Nigeria to a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The late Nwosu later handled club sides including Union Bank F.C. and Gateway United F.C..
His death has sparked tributes from football stakeholders and fans who remember him as a gifted midfielder and a key member of Nigeria’s golden generation of footballers.
