Interesting Facts About 2-Time African Best Player & Super Celebrant - Kanu Nwakwo

Interesting Facts About 2-Time African Best Player & Super Celebrant - Kanu Nwakwo

By Gbenga Gboyega

Super Eagles legend and two-time Africa Player of the Year, Nwankwo Kanu, turned 47 on Tuesday 1st of August, 2023, and BSNSports.com.ng brings you interesting facts about the Imo State indegene who dazzled for his clubs and country.

Born in Owerri, Imo State, on the 1st of August, 1976, Kanu began his football career at the Nigerian League Club Federation Works before moving to Iwuanyanwu Nationale - currently known as Heartland FC in 1992.

1. Consecutive UEFA Champions League Final Appearance

While playing for Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Kanu Nwakwo featured in back-to-back UEFA Champions League finals in 1995 and 1996, winning the former against AC Milan while losing the latter against Juventus.

Kanu was a 54th-minute substitute in the 1995 final when he came in for Clarence Seedorf at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna before Patrick Kluivert scored the only goal of the encounter to gift Ajax their fourth Champions League title.

In 1996, the reverse was the case as Kanu was in the starting line-up as a center forward, as Ajax held Juventus to a 1-all draw in regular time to force penalty shootouts which ended in favor of the Italian team.

2. 100+ Goals in Half A Century Games For Club

Kanu garnered 124 goals in 515 club career games across four national leagues while starring for Nigerian club Heartland FC (15), England's Arsenal (44), West Brom (9), and Portsmouth (28), Dutch's Ajax (27), plus Internazionale in the Italian Serie A where he scored only once.

He also bagged 64 assists across the board.

3. Title-laden 1995-1996

Two years following his move to the Netherlands from home soil in 1993, Kanu bagged laurels on different platforms both for club and country between 1995 and 1996.

He won the UEFA Champions League in 1995, alongside the Dutch Eredivisie title and the Johan Cruyff Shield, before crowning the year with the Intercontinental Cup game between UEFA and CONMEBOL that year.

In 1996, Kanu clinched Gold Medal alongside Nigeria's Dream Olympic Team in Atlanta scoring three goals in the competition to help the team secure the top spot on the podium.

He also won the Dutch Super Cup, and a third Eredivisie title in a row since 1994, before bagging his first Africa Player of the Year award rewarding his individual stride for the year in view.

4. Two Fingers In The Air - Celebration Style

In 1999, Kanu signed for the Gunners (Arsenal) for €6.2 million (£4.15 m), the same year he won his second Africa Player of the Year award, before going on to win 2 EPL titles, 3 FA Cups, and a Community Shield in five seasons.

He became popular among the fans for his two-fingered salute which started in 1999 against Middlesbrough, a gesture he later explained was based on the team's nickname - The Gunners.

Kanu scored 44 goals while creating 32 more in 197 games for Arsenal between 1999 and 2004.

5. 15-Minutes Hatrick in '99

In the 1999-00 season, Kanu scored 17 goals in 50 games for the Gunners, however, his most notable feat will come in the English Premier League tie against Chelsea on MatchDay 12 in October 1999.

Despite the Blues going two goals up in 52 minutes, Kanu took the bull by the jugular and masterminded a 15-minute hat-trick between the 75th and 90th minutes to turn a 2–0 deficit into a 3–2 victory.

With these few interesting points, BSN Sports wishes Papilo a Hearty Birthday Celebration!