Former Super Eagles midfielder Sunday Oliseh has described the late Nigerian football icon Stephen Keshi as a true leader who led the senior national team by example.
Speaking via his Global Football Insights, Oliseh, who was part of the squad that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, praised Keshi’s leadership, professionalism, and larger-than-life influence both on and off the pitch.
Oliseh noted that Keshi was the “first superstar of Nigerian football” and was widely recognized by younger teammates who grew up watching him on television. He emphasized that Keshi’s authority was never questioned because of his immense quality and his disciplined approach to the game.
ey said everyone had to wear a green shirt, he would wear a green shirt. He was disciplined, and that was the kind of person he was; he was a winner,” Oliseh remarked. “He was a man who made it clear to everyone that he had a family to support and wanted to earn money, and if you were not participating, I would lose money. That was how Keshi operated.”
The former Ajax star also highlighted how significant Keshi’s personality was to the national setup, even when he was playing professionally in Belgium.
“At one point, even when Nigeria participated in the Nations Cup, Keshi would fly in from Belgium to the AFCON, play, and then return to his club after the match. That was how significant his personality was, and Nigeria was supporting it; otherwise, you wouldn’t have your best player participating. We all saw that as kids watching television so we knew that this was a superstar and his teammates accepted it.”