One-time African Footballer of the Year Emmanuel Amuneke scored goals and won trophies in Spain, Portugal, and Egypt, but his title-winning strikes for his beloved country Nigeria still retain a special place in his hearts to date.
The former Barcelona winger has picked the two goals he scored in the final of the 1994 African Cup of Nations to help Nigeria claim her second continental title as the most significant of his decade-long career.
His game-winning goal versus Argentina in the gold medal match at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, closely follows that delightful brace against Zambia in Tunisia, says Amuneke.
A goal-scoring forward blessed with pace and a brilliant left foot, Amuneke won titles everywhere he went.
He netted 25 goals in over 70 games en route lifting two Egyptian league titles, the CAF Champions League, the African Super Cup, and the Egyptian Cup during three hugely seasons with Zamalek FC.
17 goals in 51 games yielded one Taca de Portugal title at Sporting Lisbon before claiming the Copa del Rey at Barcelona.
But when asked, in a chat with SpnAfrica, to name the best goal he ever scored in his colourful career, Amuneke chose the ones that planted Nigeria at the forefront of African and world football.
“That is hard to choose because scoring goals is not easy. All the goals I scored in my career are important,” said Amuneke.
“However, the most significant were the goals I scored in the final of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations finals because they were important in helping Nigeria win the trophy.
“Also, the goal I scored against Argentina in the final of the men’s football event was also significant because it was the winning goal that saw an African team win Gold at that level for the very first time.”
Amuneke played 39 times for Nigeria, scoring eight goals before retiring in 2002.
