Stephen Keshi

Stephen Keshi
Personal information
Full name Stephen Okechukwu Keshi
Date of birth (1962-01-23)23 January 1962[1][2]
Place of birth Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria
Date of death 7 June 2016(2016-06-07) (aged 54)
Place of death Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979 ACB Lagos 10 (1)
1980–1984 New Nigeria Bank 42 (4)
1985 Stade d'Abidjan 13 (2)
1986 Africa Sports 22 (2)
1986–1987 Lokeren 28 (6)
1987–1991 Anderlecht 99 (18)
1991–1993 Strasbourg 62 (9)
1993–1994 RWDM 40 (1)
1995 CCV Hydra 20 (1)
1996 Sacramento Scorpions 16 (3)
1997–1998 Perlis FA 34 (4)
Total 386 (51)
International career
1981–1995 Nigeria 64 (9)
Managerial career
2004–2006 Togo
2007–2008 Togo
2008–2010 Mali
2011 Togo
2011–2014 Nigeria
2015 Nigeria
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Nigeria (as player)
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 1994
Representing  Nigeria (as manager)
Winner 2013
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen Okechukwu Keshi CON (23 January 1962 – 7 June 2016) was a Nigerian football player and manager.

During his playing career, Keshi played as a defender and earned 60 caps for the Nigeria national team, making him the nation's second-most capped player at the time of his retirement. He represented the country at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, captaining the Super Eagles to victory in the latter. He also played club football in five countries, most notably Belgium, where he won the Belgian league championship with R.S.C. Anderlecht in 1991.[3]

As a manager, Keshi achieved success by qualifying Togo for the only FIFA World Cup appearance in its history in 2006.[4] However, he left the position prior to the 2006 tournament and was replaced by Otto Pfister. He later coached his native Nigeria, becoming one of only two people, along with Egypt's Mahmoud El-Gohary, to have won the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a coach.[5]

  1. ^ "FIFA Player Statistics: Stephen KESHI". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2016. Date Of Birth 23 Jan 1962
  2. ^ "14 things you didn't know about Stephen Keshi". Punch. 8 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016. He was born on January 23, 1962.
  3. ^ "Stephen Keshi will be remembered as an African pioneer". BBC. 8 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Time for change in African football?". BBC. 24 May 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Google celebrates Stephen Keshi on posthumous birthday | Premium Times Nigeria". 23 January 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2021.