Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi hit by family tragedy at peak of career revival

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of his father, Pa Sunday Ndidi, in a road accident, Soccernet.ng reports.

The tragic news was confirmed on Tuesday (January 27) by Ndidi’s club, Besiktas, in a statement posted on their official social media accounts.

The Turkish side said the midfielder’s father died in a fatal traffic accident and offered their condolences to the Nigerian international and his family.

Besiktas wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our footballer Wilfred Ndidi's esteemed father, Sunday Ndidi, in a fatal traffic accident.

“May Allah grant mercy to the deceased; we extend our condolences to our footballer Wilfred Ndidi, his family, and loved ones.”

The news will certainly be met with an outpouring of sympathy from fans and teammates, as it comes at a time when Ndidi has been enjoying one of the brightest spells of his career both at club and international level.

Only last summer, the former Leicester City midfielder joined Besiktas, and in December he was handed an even bigger responsibility back home when he was named captain of the Super Eagles following the retirement of long-serving skipper William Troost-Ekong.

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Wilfred Ndidi: A difficult moment after a golden spell at AFCON 2025

Ndidi’s first major assignment as Nigeria’s captain came at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he led the Super Eagles to a third-place finish and a bronze medal after victory over Egypt in the playoff.

He was one of Nigeria’s standout performers at the tournament, providing the platform that allowed attacking players such as Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams to flourish. Nigeria scored 14 goals in the competition and also boasted one of the best defences, conceding just four times in seven matches and none in the knockout rounds.

The Super Eagles won all five matches Ndidi started before suspension ruled him out of the semi-final against Morocco. That game against the Atlas Lions turned out to be the Super Eagles' poorest display of the tournament and the only game they failed to win, eventually losing on penalties.

His performances have since attracted transfer interest, with reports suggesting Manchester United are monitoring his situation after a recommendation from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who previously worked with him at Besiktas.

Now, however, football takes a back seat as Ndidi faces the painful task of coming to terms with the loss of his father.