Sunday Oliseh, a former midfielder for the Super Eagles, has paid tribute to the late Stephen Keshi, describing him as the country’s original football icon. Oliseh highlighted Keshi’s extraordinary leadership, professionalism, and influence both on and off the pitch.
Keshi enjoyed a stellar playing career that spanned clubs in Nigeria like ACB and New Nigerian Bank, as well as international stints with Stade d’Abidjan, Africa Sports, Lokeren, Anderlecht, and Strasbourg. He made history as the first Nigerian to feature in a major UEFA club competition final, playing the full 90 minutes as Sampdoria defeated Anderlecht 2-0 in the 1990 European Cup Winners’ Cup.
On the international stage, Keshi represented Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984 and 1988, and was part of the triumphant 1994 Super Eagles squad, even though he didn’t feature in the final. Oliseh noted that Keshi’s talent was never in doubt—his performances spoke for themselves and elevated him to legendary status.
“He led by example. If the team was told to wear green shirts, he would wear a green shirt. He was disciplined and a winner,” Oliseh remarked. “He made it clear to everyone that he had a family to support and needed to earn money. If you weren’t on board, he’d lose income—that was his mindset.”
Oliseh added, “We never questioned his ability because you could see his performances. He was the first superstar of Nigerian football. At one point, he would fly in from Belgium for Nations Cup matches, play, and then return to his club. That shows how significant he was, and Nigeria supported it because they wanted their best player involved.”
Watching as kids on television, Oliseh said they all recognized Keshi as a superstar, and his teammates accepted that status.