“We’ve lost a man I deeply admire” – Ex-Juventus star mourns AFCON-winning captain Christian Chukwu

Former Super Eagles captain and head coach Sunday Oliseh has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Christian Chukwu, Soccernet.ng reports. 

The former Juventus midfielder has described the 1980 AFCON-winning captain and former national team coach as a true legend.

Fondly known as “Chairman”, Chukwu passed away on Saturday in Enugu at the age of 74, which has sparked an outpouring of grief across Nigeria’s football community.

Oliseh, who was one of Nigeria’s most prominent players during the golden 1990s era, shared his sorrow in a deeply emotional message on his X (formerly Twitter) feed.

“Sunny, wake up! Gbalamun don land! RIP Coach Christian Chukwu, a true legend,” Oliseh wrote.

“Sadly, we’ve lost a man I deeply admired before, during, and after our Nigeria's golden '90s era. The composed ‘Chairman’ guided Nigeria and the Super Eagles to glory. A beloved hero.

“I strangely just kept hearing his voice all day after the heartbreaking news was broken to me.”

“Sunny, wake up! Gbalamun don land!” RIP Coach Christian Chukwu, a true legend.
Sadly, We've lost a man I deeply admire before, during, and after our Nigeria's golden '90s era.
The composed “Chairman” guided Nigeria and the Super Eagles to glory. A beloved hero.
I strangely… pic.twitter.com/Q1HTQD9Xyc

— Sunday Oliseh (@SundayOOliseh) April 13, 2025

Chukwu remains one of Nigeria’s most celebrated football figures. He captained the Super Eagles to their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980 and later managed the national team, where he led them to a third-place finish at the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia.

The late football icon also coached Enugu Rangers and the Kenyan national team, the Harambee Stars, during a storied career that spanned decades.