Super Eagles Striker, Odion Ighalo on Friday confirmed his retirement from the national team, after leading the country to a third place finish at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Ighalo, who was the highest goal score of the competition, said on his twitter handle that he took the decision after extensive discussions with his family.
He gave no reason for this decision in his handle.
Ighalo, tweeting on Friday said “This is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to take. It has been an amazing five years journey, but after due consultation and extensive discussions with my family, I have decided that it is time for me to retire from the national team.
“It has been an eventful and most memorable opportunity for me to serve my country with pride, passion and to contribute my quota to the development of our football, the memories will stay with me for a long time, and I am immensely grateful.”
Ighalo, thanking the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr “for believing in me”, noted that “It is now time to concentrate on club football, and to give the younger players a chance to learn and grow”.
The Shanghai Shenhua striker played 35 matches for Nigeria, scoring 16 goals in the process.
Tag: Ighalo
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Ighalo confirms retirement, says I'm leaving for younger players to grow
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Like Mikel, Ighalo announces retirement from national team
Nigerian forward, Odion Ighalo, has announced his retirement following the Super Eagle’s third placed victory over Tunisia on night at Egypt 2019.
Odion, who is the highest goal scorer in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, informed coach Gernot Rohr of his decision before leaving to join his club in China immediately after the game.
“He had discussed his decision with the coach before the third-place match, saying that the constant abuse was taking a toll on his young family but he was advised to keep it under wraps for the moment. After the game, he gave his jersey as a souvenir to the coach, said his goodbyes and left,” a source stated.
Prior to the game, the 30-year-old posted a message on his WhatsApp status update that simply said “Final Game”.
“He has been very strong for us,” Rohr said, “And it is sad that he wants not to continue.
“But the door always is open for him any time.”
Ighalo, something of a late bloomer, made his senior debut for Nigeria in 2015 as the Super Eagles lost 1-0 to Uganda in a friendly.
He made 35 appearances for Nigeria, scoring 16 goals.
He was also top scorer through the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with four goals and he could also finish the tournament as top scorer having scored five in Egypt.
Recall that the team captain, Mikel John Obi also earlier announced his retirement from the national team. -
Ighalo on course for AFCON’s Golden Boot
Odion Ighalo boosted his chances of winning the Golden Boot at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday after he netted Nigeria’s winner to ensure Super Eagles third place in the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Tunisia.
The 30-year-old Shanghai Shenhua forward struck the only goal of the match just 130 seconds after the kick-off before a small crowd at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo.
Ighalo pounced from close range when Jamilu Collins’ cross led to a mix-up between Tunisia goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia and defender Yassine Meriah.
It was his fifth goal at the tournament and puts him two ahead of closest rivals Riyad Mahrez, Adam Ounas, Cedric Bakambu and Sadio Mane, who have three goals each.
Algerians Mahrez and Ounas and Senegal’s Mane have a chance to increase their totals when the two countries face off in Friday’s final at the Cairo International Stadium.
Ighalo, who was the leading scorer in the 2019 qualifying competition with seven goals, left the field just before half-time with a pulled hamstring.
Tunisia had little to offer in attack and it took 57 minutes before they had a goal attempt on target.
Nigeria maintained their perfect record in third place playoffs at the Cup of Nations having won six other matches between the beaten semi-finalists.
The first of those successes came in 1978 against Tunisia in a match abandoned just before half-time when the north Africans stormed off to protest a disputed Nigerian equaliser.
Nigeria were awarded a 2-0 victory in Ghana and have now won six other playoffs, including three in a row between 2002 and 2006. -
I almost quit Eagles after 2018 W/Cup – Ighalo
Super Eagles star Odion Ighalo has said he nearly called time on his international career following death threats to his family in the wake of the 2018 World Cup.
Ighalo missed some chances in Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina, leading to the west Africans’ crash from the tournament in Russia.
But the former Watford man is now in the good books of Nigerians after bagging five goals for Gernot Rohr’s team in the back-to-back 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Libya.
Speaking after the victory over the North Africans, Ighalo thanked Rohr for encouraging him in difficult times.
“I know the fans want me to score goals. I understand them,” the China-based player told Kwese Sports. “But some of them took it to another level.
“They said a lot of things. To my innocent kids, to my wife, even to the extent they threatened my life and the life of my family.”
He added that he “felt very bad [when they went after my family]. I had to talk to my wife because she could not take it.
“Some words they said about my kids, about me. Some words they said to her, threatening and all that. That is beyond football.
“You know women and how they react when you talk about their children. But I never said a word to nobody and I never replied anybody.”
Ighalo added: “I want to thank Rohr because after the World Cup and all those things happened, he called me before the Seychelles game [in September] and I told him I was contemplating stopping because it is not easy.”
Ighalo said: “I am not trying to prove anybody wrong. I am just trying to work hard for my country and I always give [a] hundred percent.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t happen the way I wanted it at the World Cup. But life did not end there. I went back to my club, and I continued my game.
“Now I am back here to play for my country. I just want to give [a] hundred percent whenever I play, goal or no goal. As long as the team wins, I am satisfied.” -
Nigeria will beat Poland, Ighalo Boasts
Changchun Yatai striker Odion Ighalo has said the Super Eagles can beat Poland in a pre-World Cup friendly encounter in Wroclaw on Friday.
The encounter would be the first time both teams would be meeting at the senior level.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Igahalo, a former Watford star, admitted that the Poles are a good side and would be tough opponents for the three-time African champions.
However, the Edo state-born goal poacher expressed readiness for the game saying Nigeria has the class to match the Europeans.
“I am fully ready for the game and I’m sure other guys here are also in top shape for the match,” Ighalo said.
“We know it won’t be an easy one but these are the kind of games we need if we must perform well at the World Cup in Russia.
“They will definitely not be a pushover team, but we have the players that can upset them right in front of their own fans.”
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Nigeria’s World Cup Draw ‘We ‘Ve to be at Our Best- Ighalo
Odion Ighalo admits Nigeria’s World Cup zone is ‘a tough group’ but feels that his side can qualify from Group D.Gernot Rohr’s men have been drawn against debutants Iceland, Croatia and eternal rivals Argentina for their six World Cup campaign since 1994.
The Super Eagles were knocked out at the second round in Brazil, and Ighalo, who will be eyeing his World Cup debut, knows his side must prepare well and compete for points
“It is a tough group and even the other teams there, will be wary of Nigeria too,” Ighalo said on SuperSport TV.
“I believe this because if they look at our past records, especially our qualification to the World Cup not losing any game and our last friendly win over Argentina.“I won’t tell lie, it’s a tough group but I believe we can come out if we stick to our plans for what we have been doing throughout the qualifiers, we can qualify.
With Iceland making their debut appearance and Croatia needing a play-off win over Greece to secure a World Cup ticket, the 28-year-old insists no team will be a pushover
“Iceland are doing well right now and we saw what they were able to do against England at the Euro 2016 and how they qualified for the World Cup,” he continued.
“There is not going to be pushovers among these teams and if we have to beat all these teams, we have to be at our best.”
Nigeria begin their campaign against Croatia on June 16, 2018 at the Kaliningrad Stadium, before squaring up with Iceland and Argentina.goal.com