The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Charles Bassey, a member of Nigeria’s historic 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)-winning team.
Bassey passed away on Saturday at the age of 71 after a prolonged illness in his hometown, Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, announced this in a statement on Monday.
His death came hours after news broke that the captain of that victorious Green Eagles squad, Christian Chukwu, fondly called ‘Chairman’, also died in Enugu.
“This has been a day of double tragedy, and the NFF and the entire Nigerian football fraternity are deeply saddened by the turn of events. We lost ‘Chairman’ Chukwu earlier in the day; now, we have to mourn Charles Bassey. May God Almighty grant their souls eternal rest,” said NFF General Secretary, Sanusi.
Bassey was among the 22 players who made history for Nigeria on March 22, 1980, when the Green Eagles beat Algeria 3-0 at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, to win the country’s first-ever AFCON title.
After retiring from playing, Bassey became a coach and managed several Nigerian clubs, including Calabar Rovers, Mobil Pegasus (his hometown team), BCC Lions of Gboko, Flash Flamingoes of Benin, Akwa United, and Wikki Tourists of Bauchi.
His death makes him the ninth member of the 1980 squad to have died.
Others include goalkeepers Best Ogedegbe and Moses Effiong, defenders Christian Chukwu, Okechukwu Isima, and Tunde Bamidele, midfielders Aloysius Atuegbu and Mudashiru Lawal, and fellow forward Martins Eyo.
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