Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama has been ranked as the greatest African goalkeeper in history by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
The IFFHS made the
decision based on Super Eagles legend outstanding performances for both club
and country during a career spanning over a decade. Enyeama played for several
clubs, including Enyimba International, Bnei Yehuda, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and
Lille, among others.
He represented the
Nigerian national team in three World Cup tournaments and played a key role in
the team’s victory in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
The IFFHS, a
non-profit organization based in Germany that ranks the performance of football
players and coaches worldwide, selected Enyeama ahead of other legendary
African goalkeepers such as Joseph-Antoine Bell, Thomas N’Kono, and Essam
El-Hadary.
Enyeama’s
remarkable career as a goalkeeper is supported by his numerous individual
awards, including being named the best goalkeeper in the Israeli Premier League
three times and the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 in the 2013-2014 season.
He also holds the
record for the most clean sheets in a season in the French top flight, with 21
shutouts in 2013-2014.
Enyeama is often
regarded as Nigeria’s greatest goalkeeper ever and is considered by many as
Lille’s finest of all time. His achievement is a significant recognition of the
talents and contributions of African players to football.
It is also a
reminder of the importance of acknowledging the accomplishments of footballers
beyond the major leagues in Europe and South America.
The IFFHS All-Time
Ranking, covering the period from 1987 to 2022, includes the best goalkeepers
from other regions, such as Gianluigi Buffon (Italy) for UEFA, Jose Luis
Chilavert (Paraguay) for CONMEBOL, Mohamed Abdullaziz Al-Deayea (Saudi Arabia)
for AFC, Keylor Navas (Costa Rica) for CONCACAF, and Mark Bosnich (Australia)
for Oceania.
إرسال تعليق