He was considered one of the rising star for the national team after a superlative performance at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which saw him score five goals to win the Golden Ball award.
However, former Golden Eaglets forward, Sani Emmanuel, who played alongside Kenneth Omeruo and Ogenyi Onazi, has failed to hit the stardom despite his eye-catching performance at the tournament, that was hosted in Nigeria.
Having played for clubs such as U.S. Salernitana 1919, FC Biel-Bienne, Beitar Jerusalem, and FK Sarajevo, the youngster has pinned his ill-luck due to hamstring, which has stopped him from playing football again.
In an interview with Leero Sports News on Wednesday, Emmanuel said that he has been neglected by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and called on Nigerians to help him
“After the World Cup, I could not play at all because I had pulled too much on the hamstring playing with pain. Then I had to stop my career. Even today, it still hurts on the front of the foot.”
“I tried to contact a lot of Nigerian international players, but I never got an answer and it was very difficult to cash.
“I returned to anonymity, without work, without anything. I wanted to set up an academy, but I never managed to get help and I’m still looking for it.
“I tried to contact them (the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF) so many times, but they told me to come home and get by on my own. They had other projects.”
“Please, guys I need your support. I have done one leg surgery and it was successful, 1 leg to go.”