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Super Eagles Daniel Amokachi has explained the circumstances that led to him ending his career prematurely
Super Eagles legend, Daniel Amokachi, has spoken about the fateful injury sustained during preparation for the 1998 World Cup that spelt the beginning of the end of his football career.
Amokachi's Super Eagles legacy
Amokachi played 44 times for Nigeria over the course of a nine-year career, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and the 1996 Olympic gold medal as part of the Dream Team.
He also played at two FIFA World Cups in 1994 and 1998, etching his name in Super Eagles folklore forever.
It was at during preparations for the 1998 World Cup that Amokachi significantly damaged his knee leading to rehabiltaiton that left him unable to hit the height he had previously reached until that point.
Amokachi lost Abacha and his career in the same week
Describing the events leading up to the injury, Amokachi spoke of his relationship with former Nigerian President General Sani Abacha and how he lost a father figure and his career in the span of a few days.
He said, "I had a good relationship with the Abacha family, I'm like a son [to them] because of the military background that we have. About three days before the first game [of the 1998 World Cup], we lost the General [General Sani Abacha, President of Nigeria at the time], and two days later, I got injured.”
“I was training, I got a tackle, and my knee knocked,” Amokachi remembered, before continuing, “that was the beginning of everything for me.
Following the injury, Amokachi remembers isolating himself from the rest of the team and crying as the reality of a busted knee started to set in.
"I was in the toilet for I don’t know how long, I was crying like a baby and all that until they finished warming up and they came."
Fani Amoo then came and told the coaches. They came and knocked, but I told them that they should let me be.”
Following the injury, Amokachi only played once more for Nigeria, at the 1998 World Cup, in a lacklustre perfroamce against Bulgaria.
He failed to rediscover his form and after leaving Besiktas, only played for Colorado Rapids and Nassarawa United before retiring.
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