CELEBRITY
NIGERIA’S SUNDAY OLISEH WRITES ON WHAT IT WAS TO MARK MARADONA
Former Nigeria defensive midfielder Sunday Oliseh had the job of marking Diego Maradona in what would turn out to be Maradona’s last game for his country, a 2-1 win over the Super Eagles at USA ’94. Here, Oliseh recalls how that game in Boston changed his career.
“I was shocked when I heard of Maradona’s death.
I had just walked into the room after dropping off my daughter at sport lessons. I put on the television and the news beeped on me. I had to sit down on the couch, because it is the kind of death you don’t think should happen.
It is not the time for it. It is somehow painful in way I can’t really explain.
Growing up back in the nineties, when I had just arrived in Europe with Liege, I had a big poster of Diego Maradona on my wall from the 1986 World Cup.
He was kind of like the modern Pele at the time. So playing against him at USA ’94, we knew we had a herculean task ahead of us.
Playing against him, you could always notice that he had he had something that no other player I had ever seen in my lifetime had.
The way he touched the ball – he didn’t really touch it, it was like he was massaging the ball.
Trying to get the ball out of him was really difficult.
I personally had to apply some tricks. I physically tried to surmount him – but that didn’t deter the man.
He was solid, strong, technical. He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.
He was such a great step in my career.
After that game, I got so many accolades from the international press and from back home. My former coaches confirmed to me that I was on the right path.
But what impressed me the most about playing against Diego was the influence he had on his teammates.
That spurred me further to work towards having that kind of influence in the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the other teams I played.
I aspired to be at the point where my team-mates felt they were better with me, and without me they had problems. When his team-mates looked at Maradona, it was like they were looking at Moses about to take them to the Promised Land.
I could feel it because I was close to him all the game – and you could see that even when we scored, and went 1-0 up, he was still telling his colleagues, “take it easy – it is going to be alright.”
At the end of the game we lost 2-1, even though we had had a good outing.
Football is a team sport, but Diego made the world realise that some players can be bigger than the team.
He had an influence on the world. He was a national hero.
He is dead and the president has announced three days of mourning. They don’t do that to past presidents of Argentina, but they are doing it for Diego.
He modernized professional football. He was twice the most expensive player in the world, and there is a reason for that. It was because of him the transfer prices started to rocket.
He was a pioneer. You can see the way it has shaken the whole world. This is something that very few people in our lifetime can do.”
-BBC
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON4 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON6 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized7 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!