Henry Nwosu, one of Nigeria’s greatest midfielders ever, has died at the age of 62.
The death of the former Super Eagles player was announced on Saturday morning by his former teammate and fellow 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner Segun Odegbami in a Facebook post.
Odegbami said Nwosu died around 4:00 a.m. at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit since Wednesday.
“After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4:00 a.m. this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja, Lagos,” Odegbami wrote.
“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. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in Heaven,” Odegbami wrote.
Nwosu was the youngest member of Green Eagles squad that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time for his country that later forgot people like him.
Imo State–born footballer also played in AFCON of 1984 and 1988 in Ivory Coast and Morocco, winning silver medals on both occasions.
His death comes days after former Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde, who led Nigeria to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, died at the age of 88.
Both Nwosu and Onigbinde were key players in the Green Eagles set-up of the 1980s. Onigbinde served as coach of the national team between 1982 and 1984.
At club level, Nwosu played for several Nigerian sides, including New Nigeria Bank F.C. and Stationery Stores F.C.
After retiring from active football, Nwosu moved into coaching and youth development.
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