Christian Chukwu, a former captain and head coach of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, has passed away at the age of 74. He died in the early hours of Saturday at his residence in Enugu State, although the exact cause of death remains unknown at the time of this report.
Chukwu’s death was confirmed by his longtime friend and teammate, Dr. Olusegun Odegbami, who announced the news via his official X handle. Odegbami, who won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Chukwu, described him as “one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s football history.”
Born on January 4, 1951, Chukwu captained the Nigerian national team—then known as the Green Eagles—from 1974 to 1980. Under his leadership, the team won its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980 and finished as runners-up in 1976 and 1978. He also captained Enugu Rangers FC to victory in the 1977 Africa Cup Winners’ Cup.
Chukwu later served as assistant coach of the Golden Eaglets, who won Nigeria’s first FIFA World Cup trophy at the U16 tournament in China in 1985, and of the Super Eagles squad that qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup—widely regarded as Nigeria’s “Golden Generation.”
In October 1998, he briefly coached Kenya’s national team. From 2003 to 2005, he managed the Super Eagles, guiding them to a bronze medal finish at the 2004 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia. However, he was sacked in 2005 during the 2006 World Cup qualification campaign.
Later, Chukwu was appointed General Manager and CEO of Enugu Rangers FC by former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. He was also honoured with the national award of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).
In 2019, Chukwu battled prostate cancer, which severely affected his leg. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to raise funds for his treatment, and Nigerian businessman Femi Otedola donated $50,000 to support his care in the UK. The donation was presented in Enugu in the presence of state officials, former NFF Chairman Amaju Pinnick, and sports journalist Onochie Anibeze.
With additional support from the Enugu State Government, Chukwu underwent initial surgery in Nigeria and had shown signs of recovery.
