After 13 years of dedicated service,
Nigeria icon Vincent Enyeama has announced his retirement from international
football after a career that saw him win 101 caps.
The 33-year-old Lille shot-stopper has had
a sour relationship with new coach Sunday Oliseh, a feud which came to open on
Tuesday in Belgium camp of the Super Eagles before yesterday's international
friendly match against Congo Democratic Republic.
Enyeama had arrived at the Super Eagles' training
camp in Belgium late having had extra time off agreed following the death of
his mother. However, he arrived to find he had been stripped of the captaincy,
which had instead been handed to Ahmed Musa.
Reports then suggested Enyeama had been
expelled from Nigeria's training camp in Belgium on Wednesday, but the Nigerian
Football Federation (NFF) came out to describe the incident as a “misunderstanding
which has now been resolved.”
Enyeama has now removed himself from the
squad, though, bringing an end to a Nigeria career that saw him play in three
World Cups.
As put forth on his instagram page: “I have
fought a good fight for more than 13 years. I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith and sang the anthem with passion.”
“Henceforth, there is laid for me a crown
which only God can reward me for my 13 years of national service. Henceforth, I
am no more the captain of the Nigeria senior football team, I am no more the
goalie of the team, I am out of the team. I am no more available for
international duties.”
"I want to say thank you to every
Nigerian fan and supporter worldwide. It has been the most trying period of my
life but I know that Nigerians are there for me and God is with me. God bless
Nigeria."
He added to BBC Sport: "It has been
the most difficult period of my life, losing my mother and the emotion.”
"After playing for the Super Eagles
for 13 years, you never think that it would end like this but the time has
come.”
"There is never a good time to leave
but I will always be a fan of the Super Eagles and Nigerian football.”
"I played at three World Cups, won
the Africa Cup of Nations and fought alongside brave compatriots so I am
leaving on a high."
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