FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has written a letter of condolence to the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, on the death of former Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi.
Keshi died in the early hours of Wednesday in Benin City and his remains were moved to Faith Mediple located on the Benin Airport Road in the Edo State capital.
“I would like to express my deepest sympathy on hearing the news of the loss of the Nigeria great Stephen Keshi,” FIFA President, Infantino, wrote to Pinnick.
“On behalf of the international football community, please allow me to extend my deepest condolences to the football community of Nigeria and, most importantly, to Stephen’s family, friends and love ones. We hope that, in some way, our words of support may help bring a little bit of peace and solace in this time of sadness.”
CAF President, Issa Hayatou, also condoled with Nigeria on the death of former national skipper.
His condolence is contained in a statement on the association’s website.
Hayatou expressed his “dismay” and “immense sadness” at the sudden death of the former Nigeria international.
He paid glowing tribute to the deceased, who emerged as the only African coach to have qualified two African teams to the World Cup – Togo in 2006 and Nigeria in 2014.
“’His other enviable record is being the only African trainer to have steered a team to the Second Round of the FIFA World Cup, with Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
“He had achieved the same feat as a player with the Super Eagles at their maiden participation at the Mundial in 1994, in USA.
“’The CAF President conveyed the condolences on his own behalf, the CAF Executive Committee and African football family on the demise of Keshi, who was a jewel to his family, friends and the Nigerian football family, who are badly affected.
“This is a man, who was twice winner of the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria; in 1994 as captain and in 2013 as a coach, with the latter earning him the distinction of Coach of the Year at the Glo-CAF Awards,” the statement read.
