FIFA, NFF Celebrate Finidi at 47
Football governing body, FIFA and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Sunday took to Twitter to congratulate ex- Nigeria international, Finidi George who turned 47 Sunday.
Football governing body, FIFA and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Sunday took to Twitter to congratulate ex- Nigeria international, Finidi George who turned 47 Sunday.
FIFA also paid tribute to another Nigeria international, Gbolahan Salami on the occasion of his 28th birthday, whom the governing body remembers for representing Nigeria at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
“Happy birthday to Steven Defour (30), Dudu Cearense (35), Andres D’Alessandro (37) and Finidi George (47),” read FIFA’s message.
“Happy birthday to one of the best “No 7? ever. Have a good one Finidi George..” read the NFF’s message on its verified handle.
George who made his debut for the Super Eagles while in the colours of Sharks of Portharcourt in 1991, played 62 times for the senior team and scored six goals.
He featured in four Africa Cup Nations namely Senegal 1992, Tunisia 1994, Ghana/Nigeria 2000 and Mali 2002 and was a key member of the national team that made its debut at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America.
Four years later, he was part of the Nigeria team that exited the FIFA World Cup in France following a 4-1 defeat to Denmark in the round of 16.
From Sharks, Finidi moved to Europe in 1993, where he pitched tent with Ajax Amsterdam of Holland who then were the dominant force in Europe. .
With Ajax, Finidi scored 18 goals in 85 appearances, winning the Dutch league three times, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup (now defunct) in 1995.
The ex-international who at a time was the Technical Director of Spanish side, Real Betis lost the opportunity of handling the U-17 national team, the Golden Eaglets, despite offering his services for free.