AFCON: Why I Recreated Kanu’s Historic Goal Celebration — Ndidi
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has explained the inspiration behind his recreation of Nwankwo Kanu’s iconic goal celebration following Nigeria’s thrilling 3–2 victory over Tunisia at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Ndidi, who now plays for Turkish side Besiktas, scored his first senior international goal for Nigeria in over a decade with the national team during Saturday’s second group-stage encounter.
The midfielder powered home a header from an Ademola Lookman corner in the second half to extend Nigeria’s lead in the keenly contested match.
After finding the net, Ndidi celebrated by reenacting Kanu’s famous dance from the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, when Nigeria staged a historic comeback to defeat Brazil in the semifinals.
Explaining the gesture, Ndidi said the moment was deeply personal. “I just remembered my dad. He always talks about Kanu and all. I saw the video and said I would do that one for my dad,” he said.
Reflecting on his maiden goal for the Super Eagles, Ndidi described the moment as emotional. “It was really special. After a decade, scoring my first goal is really amazing, and we got the win, which is the most important thing,” he stated.
Despite the victory, the captain urged calm and focus within the squad. “It’s just two games. We still have the next game to play, so we must stay focused. We’ll go back to the drawing board, see our mistakes and improve,” he said.
Ndidi also praised the hospitality in Fes, Morocco, expressed confidence about fitness levels despite the rainy conditions, and urged Nigerians to keep supporting the team.
The Super Eagles will face Uganda in their final group-stage match on Tuesday
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
