AFCON 2013: Super Eagles Player Profile – Vincent Enyeama

By Arinze Ude The Super Eagles’ Number one goalie and deputy captain was born in Kaduna on 29 August 1982. The shot stopper made his mark in the Nigerian Premier League with Enyimba of Aba, with whom he won a myriad of titles including two CAF Champions League titles. He was always famously substituted by then Enyimba coach, Idris Ikhana for the penalty shoot-outs during their title-winning campaigns in Africa. He left Enyimba for cross town rivals, Iwuanyanwu Nationale, before joining the players exodus to Israel in 2005, signing for Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv. He has since played for Lille Metropole in France and Maccabi Tel Aviv. He made his debut for Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup against England and was named man of the match. He became Nigeria’s undisputed number one goalie after the retirement of veteran goalkeeper, Ike Shoromu in 2002. He’s played in five African Cup of Nations tournaments and also manned the post for Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa where he kept the Argentinians at bay for most of the game. Enyeama has been in impeccable form at the 2013 African Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa, making crucial saves against Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Mali. He took over the captaincy of the Super Eagles for the Eagles’ second group match against defending Champions, Zambia after Joseph Yobo missed the game through injury, but he is expected to hand it over if Nigeria usurps Burkina Faso in the final on Sunday.