‘Forever In Our Hearts’, Nigeria Football Federation Pays Tribute To Late Samuel Okwaraji | National

The Nigeria soccer federation has paid tribute to late skilled footballer, Samuel Okwaraji who slumped and died in a World Cup qualification sport on the Lagos Nationwide stadium in 1989.

The Imo state former Nigeria midfielder died on the age of 25 having suffered of congestive coronary heart failure.

NFF wrote on thier official verified twitter deal with;

‘It’s twelfth August once more, and we bear in mind the patriotic Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji who died on today in 1989. Without end in our hearts ♥️ #WeRememberOkwaraji https://t.co/gPivL3aKYD

Background Examine On Samuel Okwaraji

Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji was an expert Nigerian participant born on the nineteenth Might 1964 and died on the twelfth August 1989.

He was additionally a certified lawyer who had a masters diploma in worldwide regulation from the Pontifical Lateran College of Rome.

Samuel Okwaraji collapsed and died of congestive coronary heart failure within the 77th minute of a World Cup qualification match in opposition to Angola on the Lagos Nationwide Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State on 12 August 1989.

Okwaraji had a profession in Europe which included taking part in for AS Roma (1984–1985), NK Dinamo Zagreb (1985–1986), Austria Klagenfurt (1986–1987), VfB Stuttgart (1987–1989) and SSV Ulm 1846 (mortgage) (1987–1988) whereas ending his training in regulation.

In his quick stick with Dinamo Zagreb, Samuel scored 3 objectives in a pleasant sport vs NK Budućnost Hodošan. The sport was performed on 30 April 1986, and Dinamo Zagreb gained 12–0.

Samuel’s solely official sport for Dinamo within the Yugoslav First League was as an alternative on 18 Might 1986 in opposition to FK Priština. The sport was performed at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb, the twenty ninth spherical of 1985/86 season. Dinamo Zagreb gained 4:3.

He was taking part in with Belgian facet Ok. Berchem Sport on the time of his loss of life.

Okwaraji collapsed ten minutes from the top of a 1990 World Cup qualifier in opposition to Angola in Lagos. He died from attainable issues of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as an post-mortem confirmed that the 25-year-old had an enlarged coronary heart and hypertension.

Worldwide Profession

He made the Inexperienced Eagles squad in 1988 and at that yr’s African Nations Cup the place he scored one of many quickest objectives within the historical past of the championship in opposition to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

He performed alongside till the ultimate match, the place the Eagles misplaced to their perennial rivals Cameroon by a lone purpose.

Okwaraji additionally made 4 appearances for the Nigerian Olympic staff in 1988, one in the course of the qualifiers, and three on the Olympics themselves in Nigeria’s 3 video games within the group D.

Honours

1988 African Cup of Nations winner (AFCON)

Legacy

19 Might 2019, on what would have been his fifty fifth birthday, he was honoured with a Google Doodle.

_(Culled from Wikipedia)_

As we speak marks 33 years since his demise, could his soul proceed to relaxation in peace.

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