AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has opened up about his special relationship with Udinese defender Kingsley Ehizibue, calling him his ‘best friend and best man', Soccernet.ng reports.
The pairs' enduring bond goes far beyond football, rooted in shared beginnings at PEC Zwolle and deep personal connections.
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Reijnders and Ehizibue found themselves on opposite sides of the pitch in October when AC Milan faced Udinese at the iconic Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
Despite Reijnders being sent off in the 30th minute, the Rossoneri secured a narrow 1-0 victory, courtesy of a 13th-minute goal from Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze.
After the match, Reijnders and Ehizibue exchanged jerseys, and only recently did the Dutch international revealed the long-term bond he shares with the Super Eagles hopeful.
Reflecting on their journey, Reijnders revealed as per Tutto Udinese:
“Ehizibue from Udinese is my best friend, and he was also my best man at my wedding. We played together at PEC Zwolle and are from the same city, Zwolle. Now we are both professionals, and we both play in Italy.”
Ehizibue, who was born in Germany to Nigerian parents but raised in Zwolle from the age of two, started his professional career at PEC Zwolle with Reijnders joining him at the club in 2017.
Ehizibue left for FC Cologne in 2019, while Reijnders moved to AZ Alkmaar in 2018, before eventually joining AC Milan.
Interestingly, Ehizibue is not Reijnders’ only link to Nigeria.
The Dutch midfielder's first name, Tijjani, is a tribute to Nigerian football legend Tijani Babangida.
Reijnders’ father, Martin, admired Babangida during the Nigerian’s successful stints at VVV-Venlo, Roda JC, Ajax, and Vitesse in the Netherlands during the 1990s and named his child after the Super Eagles legend.
Ehizibue’s Nigerian heritage also saw him receive a Super Eagles call-up in 2020, but the games were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
