Chinedu Obasi reveals injury battles and NFF’s lack of support

Ayomide Akinkuade
3 Min Read

Former Super Eagles player Chinedu Obasi has spoken out on the devastating injury he endured while playing for Nigeria and the NFF’s failure to provide adequate support during his darkest moments.

Chinedu Obasi’s international career got off to a flying start, featuring for Nigeria’s U17 and U20 teams, while achieving a runner-up finish at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Obasi’s impressive form continued as he helped Nigeria secure third place at the 2010 AFCON, defeating Algeria in the process. He also represented the country at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where he won a crucial penalty in a 2-2 draw against South Korea.

Despite his notable contributions, Obasi’s international career stalled after 2011, with injuries sustained while playing for Nigeria being a major factor that affected the talented forward.

Chinedu Obasi reveals injury battles and NFF’s lack of support
Chinedu Obasi

In an exclusive interview with football journalist, Oma Akatugba, Chinedu Obasi shared his harrowing experience with injuries and the subsequent neglect he faced from the NFF.

“During the last game of the 2010 World Cup against South Korea, I got the penalty that was converted by Yakubu Aiyegbini. The defender kicked me, I had a strong pain and the scans showed that I had a crack on my knee,” he revealed.

“I had a surgery, they had to put a nail in my leg and for over a year, I was going to rehab, training to get myself back. I got myself playing again but throughout the process I didn’t get a message from anybody in the NFF,” Obasi added.

He further disclosed that the 2014 World Cup was an emotional experience for him as he felt overlooked despite his hard work. “The 2014 World Cup was a decisive and emotional for me because I knew how hard I worked and how much I spent to get back playing football again on that level. At the end I didn’t get called up to the World Cup.”

“After the World Cup, the next qualifiers, they sent me an invitation and that was disrespectful,” he recalled.

According to Obasi, the NFF’s approach to player selection seemed business-oriented, prioritizing financial interests over player welfare: “For them that World Cup was a business. They told me it wasn’t just about paying and there were some other options. I was told that if I happened to get a club interested, they’ll be the ones to negotiate the deal.”

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