IMMEMORIAL
Like Okwaraji; List of players who have collapsed on the pitch
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Like Nigeria’s midfielder, Samuel Okwaraji who collapsed and died on the pitch on a 12 day date in August 1989, another tragedy was averted on another 12 day date in June 2021 in the Euro 2020 football championship when Denmark’s Christian Eriksen collapsed in a match with Finland.
Uefa said Eriksen, who was given CPR by medics on the pitch, was transferred to hospital where the 29-year-old was stabilised, with officials saying he was conscious.
Following is a list of players who have collapsed on the pitch during a match.
Samuel Okwaraji – Nigeria
The Nigerian midfielder collapsed and died of congestive heart failure in the 77th minute of a World Cup qualification match against Angola at the Lagos National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State on 12 August 1989.
David Omofeye aka ‘Idi’ – Nigeria
Daily Times account of death and burial of David Omofeye in 1954.
The Nigerian striker who just missed the cut in the selection of the first national team in 1949 and player of the ‘Old Reliables’ Railway football club of Lagos, slumped and died at the present day Mobolaji Arena, Onikan Lagos during a 6 May 1954 first division match of Railway and Marine. He is the first recorded death on a Nigerian pitch.
Amir Angwe – Nigeria
Efforts to revive Angwe on the field failed.
Playing for Julius Berger against Maxaquine of Mozambique in the African Winners Cup, The Benue State born footballer slumped and died on the turf of Onikan Stadium on 29 October 1995.
Tunde Charity Ikhidero – Nigeria
The member of the 1989 set of Nigerian Flying Eagles died in the hospital following head injury sustained in a league match involving his club, Insurance and Niger Tornadoes in Benin on September 6, 1997.
Endurance Idahor – Nigeria
The former Julius Berger and Dolphin striker, playing for Al Merreikh of Sudan, collapsed and died in Omdurman while playing against Amal Atbara on 6 March 2010.
Fabrice Muamba -England
The Bolton Wanderers midfielder collapsed on the pitch in an FA Cup match in 2012 due to a cardiac arrest and was technically “dead” for 78 minutes before he was revived. The former England under-21 midfielder had to retire soon after at the age of 24.
Bafetimbi Gomis -France
The French striker has collapsed several times on the pitch due to a medical condition which causes him to faint. He has collapsed playing for Swansea City, Galatasaray and Al-Hilal.
Marc-Vivien Foe -Cameroon
The Cameroon midfielder collapsed during a Confederations Cup match in 2003. Medical staff attempted to resuscitate the 28-year-old on the pitch before taking him off on a stretcher.
However, they failed in their attempts to restart his heart and he was pronounced dead.
Antonio Puerta -Spain
The Sevilla midfielder collapsed while jogging back in the first game of the 2007-08 La Liga season against Getafe and, though he walked off the pitch after being helped by medical staff, he collapsed again in the dressing room.
Puerta, a Spain international, was rushed to hospital, where he died three days later of “multiple organ failure” due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 22.
Cheick Tiote – Cote d’Ivoire
Four months after leaving Newcastle United, the midfielder fainted during a training session with Chinese club Beijing Enterprises. The 30-year-old Ivorian died in hospital.
Miklos Feher -Hungary
The Hungary striker was playing for Portuguese side Benfica against Vitoria Guimaraes in January 2004 when he keeled over in pain before falling backwards onto the pitch after a heart attack.
Medics attempted to resuscitate the unconscious 24-year-old before he was taken off on a stretcher and rushed to hospital. Doctors tried to revive him for nearly 90 minutes before he was pronounced dead.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
As Nigeria marks the 27th anniversary of the death of Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, the sports community joins in solemn remembrance of the man widely regarded as the greatest patron of Nigerian sports.
Though best known as the winner of Nigeria’s annulled 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola was a towering figure in Nigerian and African sports — a passionate enthusiast, financier, and philanthropist whose contributions laid the foundation for some of the country’s greatest sporting achievements.
From football to boxing and athletics, Abiola’s impact was both vast and profound. His club, Abiola Babes Football Club, based in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was a household name in Nigerian football during the 1980s, winning the FA Cup twice (1985 and 1987) and producing some of the finest football talents the country has seen.
Beyond club ownership, Abiola was a strong advocate of sports journalism and media development.
He invested heavily in sports coverage through Concord Press, making it the first Nigerian media organisation to consistently give sports stories front-page prominence and dedicate magazine covers to sporting heroes.
“He wasn’t just a politician or businessman. MKO was the biggest friend sports ever had in Nigeria,” said a former Nigerian international, Dominic Iofar, who played for Abiola Babes. “He took care of us like we were his own children. He believed in sports as a unifying force.”
In the early 1990s, Abiola sponsored major boxing bouts in Nigeria and played a key role in the re-emergence of local pugilists on the international scene.
He also extended financial support to athletes ahead of major international competitions, often paying bonuses and allowances from his personal funds when government support lagged.
Even in death, MKO Abiola’s sports legacy endures. Several initiatives and youth tournaments held in his memory continue to reflect his vision of sport as a tool for youth empowerment, national unity, and global recognition.
“MKO taught us that sport wasn’t just a game — it was a nation-building tool,” said one-time NFA chairman, recalling how Abiola’s vision shaped Nigerian sports policy even from outside government.
As Nigeria reflects on Abiola’s political legacy, the sports sector salutes him as a trailblazer whose investments and ideals continue to inspire new generations of athletes, administrators, and journalists.
Today, there may be no flowers laid or tributes paid. Still, Nigerian sports remember MKO Abiola not just as a martyr of democracy but as the patron saint of Nigerian sports — a visionary whose love for the game burned as brightly as his dream for a better Nigeria.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The death of former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, on July 3, 2025, has once again cast a solemn shadow over July—a month that, over the decades, has become tragically synonymous with the passing of some of Nigeria’s most iconic football figures.
From pioneering coaches and players to football administrators, July seems to carry an eerie pattern of farewells in the Nigerian football community. Sports Village Square recalls the long, haunting list of notable football personalities who have died in this very month:
Jelisavicic Tihomer “Father Tiko” – July 1, 1986
Fondly remembered as the architect of Nigeria’s rise in African football in the 1970s, the Yugoslav coach guided the Green Eagles to third-place finishes at the 1976 and 1978 Africa Cup of Nations.
His era was marked by 45 matches, 24 wins, and a generation of stars. He died in an auto crash in Cancún, Mexico, just two days after the 1986 World Cup ended.
Samuel Ojebode – July 4, 2012
A left fullback and captain of IICC Shooting Stars, Ojebode was part of the legendary 1976 team under Father Tiko. His death marked the near-complete passing of that team’s iconic back four.
Dan Anyiam – July 6, 1977
A pioneer of Nigerian football and vice-captain of the famed 1949 UK Tourists, Anyiam was the first indigenous coach to sign a contract with the Nigeria Football Association (NFA). He was found dead in his car on July 6, 1977.
Muda Lawal – July 6, 1991
The midfield maestro and member of the victorious 1980 AFCON team, Lawal died on the 14th anniversary of Dan Anyiam’s death. He was also a key figure under Father Tiko and a part of IICC’s continental conquests.
Bashorun MKO Abiola – July 7, 1998
Nigeria’s greatest sports philanthropist and financier of several football clubs, including Abiola Babes, MKO Abiola died while in detention. His contribution to football remains unmatched across Africa.
Father Dennis Slattery – July 7, 2003
An Irish missionary and former NFA chairman (1956–1959), Slattery officiated several Challenge Cup finals and was a major figure in school sports development, founding the famed St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka.
Israel Adebajo – July 25, 1969
Founder of the legendary Stationery Stores FC, Adebajo died weeks before his club’s Challenge Cup final appearance. His team was one of the most beloved in Nigeria’s football history.
Enemuo Edozie – July 25, 2004
Edozie Enemuo was the Head of Marketing for the Nigeria Football Association (NFA). He tragically died in a car accident on July 25, 2004, along the Port Harcourt-Aba expressway while travelling to watch a CAF Champions League match between Enyimba and Bakili Bullets. The accident, which involved a collision with a tanker, also claimed the lives of five other people.
Enemuo’s death was a significant loss to the Nigerian football community. He was described as a dedicated and committed individual, and his death was described as “a very big shock” by NFA spokesman Sam Kaalu. At the time of his death, he was survived by three young children
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu – July 25, 2024
A political and sports figure, Iwuanyanwu took over Spartans FC and turned it into Iwuanyanwu Nationale, a dominant club in the 1980s and early ’90s. He passed away at 81.
Mathias Obianika – July 27, 1992
The former Enugu Rangers striker made a memorable debut for Nigeria in 1971 with two goals against Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso). He later became Rangers’ chief coach.
Anthony Ikazoboh – July 27, 1999
Former Super Stores player, two-time NFA Chairman and ex-Minister of Sports, Ikazoboh was murdered by armed robbers. He was instrumental in the development of Nigerian football, including the introduction of professional football in 1990.
Akinloye Oyebanji – July 27, 2019
A veteran NTA sports journalist and broadcaster, Oyebanji served for 35 years and retired as Managing Director of NTA Properties. He died after a long illness.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah – July 27, 2024
Owner of FC IfeanyiUbah and a two-time Senator, Ubah died in a London hospital. He was a key investor in football and politics in the southeast region.
Cyril Okosieme – July 29, 1999
Pioneer goalkeeper for Enugu Rangers and later Bendel Insurance, Okosieme’s legacy lives on through his children who also made significant marks in Nigerian sports.
Tesilimi “Thunder” Balogun – July 30, 1972
The first Nigerian professional footballer in England, Balogun was a legend whose powerful shots earned him the nickname “Thunder.” He remains one of the most iconic names in Nigerian football history.
Sam Garba Okoye – July 31, 1978
A key figure in Nigerian football in the 1960s and ’70s, Okoye was known for his flair and trademark headband. He died in a car accident.
The recurring pattern of loss in July is both painful and puzzling for the Nigerian football community.
With Peter Rufai—the Super Eagles’ 1994 AFCON-winning and World Cup goalkeeper—now added to this sombre roll call, the month continues to be one of mourning and reflection in Nigerian football history.
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From flags to a life-size statue, images and homages to Pope Francis were visible all around the Pedro Bidegain stadium in Buenos Aires on Saturday as his beloved San Lorenzo de Almagro soccer team took to the field for the first time since the pontiff’s death.
Players wore jerseys with images of the late Pope along with the words “Together for Eternity,” as a remembrance for the passion Francis showed the team throughout his life, even remaining a member during his 12-year papacy.
A view shows a shirt of the San Lorenzo de Almagro, Pope Francis’ hometown soccer team, with a badge with an image of him and a message reading “together for eternity”, on the day of an Argentine first division match against Rosario Central, following the death of the pontiff, at the Pedro…
“The Pope is from Boedo,” fans chanted before the kickoff, unfurling Vatican-coloured
yellow-and-white flags. The club, based in the Boedo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, plans to name its new stadium after Pope Francis.
During the halftime show, Scholas Occurrentes, an international organization created by the Pope in 2013 to transform global education, also paid tribute to the pope, who died on Monday at the age of 88.
Jorge Bergoglio inherited his passion for the popular Argentine club from his father and never lost it.
“And may San Lorenzo win,” Bergoglio said shortly after his election in 2013, as part of a series of wishes for his home country.
While he never returned to Argentina as pope, a life-size statue of Francis wearing a scarf with the team’s colors, blue and red, around his neck and overlooked the match against Rosario Central from the sidelines.
The match remained scoreless until the 91st minute when Enzo Copetti scored the lone goal for Rosario Central, handing the pope’s hometown team a 1-0 defeat.
During his years at the Vatican, Francis was named an honorary San Lorenzo member and received several visits from club delegations, including one after the club won the Copa Libertadores in 2014 and presented the trophy to the Catholic leader.
-Reuters
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