NFF mourns as former midfielder dies shortly after early morning walk

• The Nigerian Football Federation have announced the passing of a former Super Eagles international
• Former midfielder Ayo Ogunlana was part of the Nigerian squad that won a silver medal at AFCON 1990
• The former Ranchers Bees and Leventis midfielder was said to have passed away after his early morning walk

The Nigerian Football Federation have mourned the passing of a former Super Eagles midfielder, who passed away on February 14 after his early morning walk.

The football federation confirmed that former midfielder Ayo Ogunlana passed away on Valentine's Day after his early morning walk at his home in Kaduna.

The Nigerian Football Federation have announced the passing of AFCON 1990 star Ayo Ogunlana. Photo by Joe Prior.
Source: Getty Images

Ogunlana starred for Nigeria in the 90s, playing for local clubs Leventis and Ranchers Bees and was famously referred to as the dead ball king for his free-kick abilities, as noted by the Guardian.

NFF mourns Ayo Ogunlana

NFF general secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, in a statement, led the federation in tributes for one of Nigeria's greatest midfielders of all time.

“We are very sad to learn of the sudden passing of Ayo Ogunlana, only a couple of weeks after the demise of another former Eagle, Moses Effiong (a member of the 1980 AFCON-winning Green Eagles squad in faraway USA). Ogunlana was a great midfielder who made playing football look so easy with his majestic touches and turns and his magnificent free-kicks,” he said.“We pray that the Almighty will grant both of them eternal rest and grant the families they have left behind the fortitude to bear the losses.”

He was a star attraction during a number of important Nigeria FA Cup battles in the 1980s and held sway in the middle for the Super Eagles in the late 1980s and at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Algeria.

He helped Nigeria beat Guinea and Zimbabwe to qualify for the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations and also beat Cameroon in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Ibadan with a 2-0 scoreline.

He played in the 1990 ECOWAS Cup competition that Nigeria hosted in Kaduna and earned rave reviews as Nigeria finished with the silver medals at the 17th Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria, even coming close to bagging Nigeria a late equaliser in the final against hosts and winners Algeria, from his favourite dead-ball position.

Stanley Nwabali loses mother

Legit.ng reported that Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali lost his beloved mother on New Year's Day, a few months after his father also passed away.

The Chippa United goalkeeper who shot into the limelight during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations endured difficult months from the end of 2024 to the start of the new year.

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Source: Legit.ng