Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has shared an emotional account of the personal struggles he has faced following the loss of both his parents, admitting that the pain has at times made him consider walking away from football.
Speaking with ACL Sports, the Chippa United shot-stopper revealed that his mother passed away just two months after the death of his father, a devastating double loss that deeply affected him both personally and professionally.
“My mom died around two o’clock today,” Nwabali said, fighting back emotion. “So, on how I try to keep a lot of things to myself, try to move on, try to be a stronger guy I was.”
The goalkeeper explained that the weight of grief has been overwhelming, describing moments when continuing his career felt almost impossible.
“Most times I feel like quitting, you know? I feel like quitting because, yeah, you know, mom and dad—but my mom is so dear to me,” he added. “Really, it’s so painful, man. It’s really so painful to be talking about my mom today, bro.”
Nwabali’s candid revelation sheds light on the emotional battles athletes often face away from the spotlight. Despite his struggles, the 28-year-old has continued to represent Nigeria with resilience, earning praise for his composure and performances for both club and country.
His words have since drawn sympathy and support from fans and the wider football community, many applauding his courage for speaking openly about grief and mental health.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
