Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was born on January 23, 1962 in Bauchi State, Nigeria.

His footballing career began as a football player between 1979 and 1998. It also continued as a coach from 2001 till he died on Wednesday, June 8, 2016.

Stephen Keshi the footballer

Stephen Keshi started playing professional football in 1979 in Lagos joggling from one club to the other before he got his first break outside Africa’s largest economy.

He moved to Abidjan in 1985 to play in their premier league before getting his big break in 1986. He was spotted and signed by Belgian football club Sporting Lokeren in 1986, to ply his trade in Europe.

A year after his stint with Lokeren, Keshi was signed by Belgian premier league side Anderlecht in 1987. He appeared 99 times for the club scoring 18 goals till he left to Strasbourg in 1991.

With Anderlecht, he won the Belgian Cup in 1988 and 1989 and then the Jupiler league in 1991.

Keshi continued his play with other teams in Belgium till 1995 when he moved to California in the United States of America and played for smaller teams. He used that opportunity to train as a coach in 1996.

Stephen Keshi finally moved to Malaysia in 1997 to play for second division side Perlis, before ending his active footballing career as a player in 1998.

Super Eagles player

Stephen Keshi appeared 64 times for the Nigerian national team, Super Eagles scoring 9 goals as a central defender. He won the Africa Cup of Nations as captain of the team in 1994.

Stephen “Big Boss” Keshi the coach

After his coaching training in 1996 in the USA, Stephen Keshi got the opportunity to lead Nigeria’s Junior Eagles at the 2001 African Youth Championship.

Tough moments

After helping Togo qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Keshi was replaced with Otto Pfister who couldn’t carry the team on to the finish.

Stephen Keshi was also sacked as Mali coach in 2010 after recording poor results which caused the team to exit the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

Keshi had a terrible footballing moment in 2014 when Nigeria, defending champions, failed to win a game in the qualification matches for the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

He was under immense pressure from the federation and fans but he chose not to resign for the love of his country.

In 2015, Keshi was sacked as Super Eagles coach for poor results which led to the team’s failure as defending champions to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

Memorable quotes

Stephen Keshi is remembered for some inspirational quotes he made in his career. Some memorable ones are:

“People don’t have to believe in you for you to succeed. Just work hard. When you succeed, they will believe.”

“Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a battle.”

Laurels

Stephen Keshi is one of two Africans to win the Africa Cup of Nations as a player and as coach of a national team. He was the captain of the Super Eagles winning team in 1994 and the coach of the 2013 winning team in South Africa.

Other pictures:

RIP sir

Late Okwaraji, Wilfred Agbonivare, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini all died and were never given the desired recognition. They brought smiles to faces of soccer lovers in Nigeria and we failed to immortalize them.

Keshi just died now, are we going to allow his memories fade away like others? Our fallen heroes in whatever capacity deserves more.

If a stadium could be named after Samson Siasia while still alive, we should also respect the dead too. I suggest National Stadium Abuja be named after him. Rest well Keshi!!!