Nigeria’s football community has been thrown into mourning following the death of former Super Eagles midfielder and 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hero, Henry Nwosu, who passed away in the early hours of today.
The news of his death was confirmed by his former national teammate and Nigerian football legend, Chief Segun Odegbami, who disclosed that Nwosu died after several days of hospitalisation.
According to Odegbami, the late footballer had been battling for his life at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where he had been receiving intensive care treatment.
“After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at about 4:00 a.m. this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where he had been in the Intensive Care Unit since Wednesday,” Odegbami wrote.
He added: “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, the youngest member of the victorious 1980 AFCON squad. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in Heaven.”
Nwosu etched his name in Nigerian football history as the youngest member of the Green Eagles team that won Nigeria’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980, a landmark victory that helped shape the country’s modern football legacy.
Renowned for his intelligence on the ball, creativity in midfield, and ability to dictate the tempo of play, Nwosu was widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted players of his generation. His performances during the golden era of Nigerian football earned him national recognition and admiration from fans across the country.
Beyond the 1980 AFCON triumph, Nwosu enjoyed a distinguished career with several Nigerian clubs and later contributed to the development of the sport as a coach and mentor to younger players.
His death marks the loss of one of the iconic figures of Nigeria’s football history and a member of the generation that laid the foundation for the country’s continental football success.
Tributes from former teammates, football administrators, and fans are expected to pour in as the nation reflects on the legacy of a player whose talent and contributions helped elevate Nigerian football to continental prominence.
Nwosu was honoured with the national award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s historic 1980 AFCON victory.
Further details surrounding his death and burial arrangements are expected to be announced by his family in the coming days.
