1980 AFCON winner Henry Nwosu dies at 62

Former Super Eagles midfielder Henry Nwosu has died at the age of 62.

The death of the Imo State–born footballer 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 at about 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.”

Nwosu was the youngest member of Nigeria’s squad that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, when the then Green Eagles claimed the country’s first continental title on home soil.

His death comes days after Nigerian football lost another notable figure, former Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde, who led Nigeria to the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Onigbinde died on March 9 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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