Nigeria won its third AFCON trophy in 2013 and the success had a positive impact on some players
Former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onaji has revealed that winning the 2013 African Cup of Nations with Nigeria made him popular and highly regarded at the club.
Onazi was a key secondary coach to coach Stephen Keshi during the team’s 2013 AFCON victory in South Africa.
Prior to AFCON, Onazi was not one of the big names on the AFCON team, having played only two games leading up to the tournament.
However, the former Lazio player played in all of Nigeria’s Round of 16 matches, becoming a mainstay in the midfield and quickly becoming an important player for the team.
After his performances in Nigeria, Onazi signed a contract extension with his club Lazio. However, in an interview with Soccernet, Onazi revealed that after winning the AFCON, he received other benefits apart from an improved contract with Lazio.
“After winning AFCON in 2013, our popularity increased,” Onazi told Soccernet.
“I became known all over the world, and my value increased. After the tournament, I received many calls from other clubs telling me they were crazy. This earned him even more respect from his club Lazio.
“When I returned to Italy, everyone liked me. They called me the King of Africa. This gave me an edge and made me more During this period, I extended my contract. After that, I got more money and more years.
“A lot happened in my career and it was never the same. It was a turning point for me.
Super will compete in the 2023 AFCON in January. The only surviving member of the 2013 team is Kenneth Omeruo. Nigeria has a young team and they want to make history in Ivory Coast.
