“Rest in heaven” – Super Eagles star loses father after Benin draw

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is grieving the loss of his father, who passed away shortly after Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Benin Republic in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Nigerian team secured their place in the upcoming AFCON tournament with a game to spare, following a late equaliser by Victor Osimhen that leveled the score after Mohamed Tijani’s early goal put Benin ahead.

Despite challenging weather conditions and a determined opponent, the Super Eagles fought back to secure a crucial point to solidifying their AFCON qualification.

Nwabali, who was part of the squad that travelled to the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium for the match, took to social media page on Friday to share the sad news with his followers.

In a heartfelt post, the goalkeeper expressed his grief, simply writing, “Rest in peace, dad,” and “Rest in heaven,” accompanied by tearful and heartbreak emojis.

Stanley Nwabali mourns father
As the Super Eagles prepare to wrap up their qualifying campaign against The Wasps of Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Nwabali and his teammates will undoubtedly have their minds with him during this difficult time.

The Super Eagles squad and the Nigerian football fans are expected to rally around the Chippa United goalkeeper as he mourns his father’s passing.

Ayomide Oguntimehin

Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and an Editor at Soccernet.ng, with a proven track record in conducting interviews with Super Eagles stars such as William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ademola Lookman, and many others. He has also made a significant impact in breaking transfer news stories.

Grounded in video editing, video journalism, social media management, and content strategy, Ayomide brings a wealth of expertise to his work.

With a Bachelor’s degree in English Language from Adeyemi College of Education and a Master’s Degree in School Library and Media Technology from the University of Ibadan, Ayomide is well-prepared to excel in the field.