AFCON 2019 top scorer award winner, Odion Ighalo, has sent out an emotional farewell message to Super Eagles’ fans and his former Nigeria teammates following his retirement from international football, Completesports.com reports.
Ighalo ended his international career on a high by winning the top scorer award of the 22nd Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt with five goals. His impressive form also helped Nigeria win the tournament’s bronze medal.
Firstly, on his AFCON 2019 top scorer award feat, Ighalo tweeted on his Twitter platform: “All Glory To God.”
The Shanghai Shenhua striker first announced his international retirement on Wednesday, July 17 after scoring his fifth AFCON 2019 goal that ensured the Super Eagles edged out the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in the tournament’s bronze medal match.
“This is one of the most difficult career decisions I have had to take. It’s been an amazing five years journey, but after due consultation and extensive discussion with my family, I have decided it’s time for me to retire from the National team,” Ighalo said in a statement.
“It’s has been an eventful and most memorable opportunity to serve my country with pride, passion
and to contribute my quota to the development of our football, the memories would stay with me for a
long time and I’m immensely grateful.
“It is now time to concentrate on club football and give the younger
players chance to learn and grow. I would love to thank the NFF, coach Gernot Rohr for believing in me
against all odds, to my teammates for their professionalism and team spirit. Without you guys I wouldn’t have achieved so much with this team.
“To NIGERIAN football fans all over the world, I say THANK YOU, you were always there to cheer us on
and our 12th players every time we step into the pitch. I will be watching and cheering the SUPER
EAGLES from this side. THANK YOU….signing OUT”
Ighalo also released a statement directed to his Shanghai Shenhua fans concerning his current injury situation. The striker copped what looked like an hamstring after scoring the Super Eagles’ lone goal winner against Tunisia.
“This is the most difficult season in my club career, but playing for my country has always been a dream and this is the last big tournament in my international career,” he said.
” I’m so unlucky to have got the same injury and especially this period that my team needs me. l feel so sorry for the fans, that I will
be missing some games, but I will work hard to be back ASAP to end the season very well,” Ighalo appealed to Shanghai Shenhua faithful.
18 Comments
Ighalo, like Caesar said: You came, You saw, You conquered. Thank you for giving so much to your country. Go with the Lord’s blessings.
most honourable thing to do, thank. cos we need better striker that plays with the team.
I think your statement could have been more aptly worded as:we need a better team that plays to the strength of its strikers.
The Cameroonians we be jubilating now because Ighalo has dealt with Cameroon national team since 1915.Played against indomitable lions four times,and has scored in three matches, that’s ,1915 friendly match in Belgium,world cup qualifier 2017 in Uyo and AFCOs 2019 Egypt.The only match with Cameroon he failed to score was 2018 world cup qualifier return leg in Yaunde.
1915? You mean 2015?
Farewell you can join your senior Yakubu in the hall of fame of great strikers that we can equally call great missers. Forward ever team Naija strong!
All the best Ighalo. God bless Nigeria!!!
Bro you have done well . thank you so much . super eagles move on we are not lacking striker’s
Thank you Ighalo for the Joy you gave us and your dedication you bring to the game. No Nigerian had equal your strike abilities in the modern times. Nigerians all over the world shall not forget your name for a generation.
Yekini =( yakubu + igallo )2×
……………… + X
2
Wat is X?
Thanks Ighalo.
I just realised the other day , you are just a victim of Rhor’s tactics.
SE needs speedy wingers to fly and a supporting attacker to thrive.
The lone stricker tactics of Rhor made Ighalo look ordinary and not so much app9 for his abilities.
Rhor has played 35 matches with the SE, Ighalo has played 36 matches.
In Every match Rhor has always played two holding midfielders or defensive midfilders, thereby robbing Ighalo of the much needed support to succeed.
Just like you habe #5 and #6 in the defense, #8 and 9 is a pair thatthe SE are used to and have always produced free flowing attacking foot ball..
If this Rhor was adventurous at all he should in the last two matches played Ndidi or Etebor as the DM , Chukwueze as. AM, Kalu and Musa/Henry as wingers, Iwobi and Ighalo as #8 and #9..
Uzoho
Aina
Ekong
Omeruo
Collins
Ndidi / Etebor
Iwuobi
Musa
Kalu
Chukwueze
Ighalo.
4-4-2.
Thus would have brought the cup home, it was ours for a taking but Rhor rolled over as usual.
Rhor and pinick must go.
The search for a new coach and NFF Chair starts now.
Thanks Ighalo.
I just realised the other day , you are just a victim of Rhor’s tactics.
SE needs speedy wingers to fly and a supporting attacker to thrive.
The lone stricker tactics of Rhor made Ighalo look ordinary and not so much appreciated for his abilities.
Rhor has played 35 matches with the SE, Ighalo has played 36 matches.
In Every match Rhor has always played two holding midfielders or defensive midfilders, thereby robbing Ighalo of the much needed support to succeed.
Just like you have #5 and #6 in the defense, #8 and 9 is a pair thatthe SE are used to and have always produced free flowing attacking foot ball..
If this Rhor was adventurous at all he should in the last two matches played Ndidi or Etebor as the DM , Chukwueze as. AM, Kalu and Musa/Henry as wingers, Iwobi and Ighalo as #8 and #9..
Uzoho
Aina
Ekong
Omeruo
Collins
Ndidi / Etebor
Iwuobi
Musa
Kalu
Chukwueze
Ighalo.
4-4-2.
This lineup would have brought the cup home, it was ours for the taking but Rhor rolled over as usual.
Rhor and pinick must go.
The search for a new coach and NFF Chair starts now.
Thank u my brother Odion.
Obulu to u.
U have done well.
Like Cj said, u were a victim of a poor technical manager.
Thanks for all your love and sacrifice.
God bless u.
wishing u all the best Ighalo, at least you made some fans happy by winning the highest goal scorer(though we did not win the Afcon) but we took third. so a great achievement for u in afcon history. to me you gave your best cos u do score in some matches u played for the national team.
we fans will respect yr decision may Almighty Allah continue to bless u and yr family and protect you on yr remaining football career.
thank u very very very very very very very very much Odion ighalo.
Thanks so much, may God continue to bless you and your family
Thanks, I love you
I am going to take an opposing views point and say that after Victor Emenike,Moses,Mikel and Ighalo’s retirements that my observation is that despite the improvements of NFF that playing for the national team no longer has the prestige that comes with it. With the exception of Mikel,these other players pretty much used the national team to garner personal status and then quit at the slighesti convenience. Otherwise, how do you explain these players who aren’t even killing it at club level retiring at a relatively young age with few caps.
Compare these players to other established internationals of other countries who play regular first team football and yet continuously turn up for their national teams. You can see it’s obvious. What is 30+ caps? Look at the likes of Do Maria, Buffon, recently retired Robben you can see the stack difference.
What players like Ighalo have done is abandon the country during a transitional period.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s their right to retire and I’m glad they gave some time to the country but of other players start following suit we won’t be able to build a team with a legacy like in Okocha’s era.
His family is under threat.
Inasmuch as Ighalo has really hurt me by his selfish play at important situations of allowing others in a better scoring position to do so,it is primitive and devilish to take the game beyong the field.
Why threatening his life and that of his family?
That’s highly unfair.
However I wish him the very best.
Nigeria doesn’t lack talents. What we lack are honest,transparent, hardworking, unbiased NFF scouts who should gather our best talents from everywhere they are.
That’s our main problem.
I wish also that Mr Rhor, GK Akpeyi,John Ogu and other ineffective members of the team should resign or retire as the case may be.
We Nigerians must appreciate Ighalo,Mikel and v.Moses for contributing immensely to SE. After Yekini we had not gotten a player like Ighalo