FORMER Nigerian footballer, Philip Osondu is reportedly dead.
Osondu died in Belgium after taking himself to the hospital to be examined on Thursday, the Nation reports.
It was learnt that Osondu went to the hospital after he felt unwell at work.
Osondu played regularly for the youth teams of Nigeria, but never reached the first team.
He participated in the 1987 World U-16 tournament in Canada where reached the Golden Eaglets lost on penalties to the Soviet Union in the finals.
The Aba-born forward won the World Cup Golden Ball as best player of the tournament.
Golden Eaglets assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade, Osondu’s teammate at the silver medal winning 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup squad in Saudi Arabia remembers the late striker fondly.
“This is bad news for me to hear. I saw him last many years ago in Belgium at the Airport and we spoke for about 20 minutes and he was so happy seeing me again after so many years,” Ugbade told NationSport.
“He was doing pretty good. This is painful to hear and a great loss; his name is a household in Nigeria even among people who never saw him played.
“His death at this period is a bad one and we can only pray God grant him eternal rest.’
Another teammate at Saudi Arabia, Mutiu ‘Headmaster’ Adepoju, also expressed shock at Osondu’s demiseAdepoju tweeted: “Philip Osondu was my teammate at Saudi 89 FIFA U20 World Cup, where we helped Nigeria finish in second position. So shattered about the news of his passing.
“Dear Lord, do grant him eternal rest and console his family ”
Osondu started his career in Nigeria for El Kanemi Warriors before joining Belgium side RSC Anderlecht in 1988.
He would later play for RWDM, La Louviere, Union Saint-Gilloise, Diegem Sport all in Belgium before retiring in 2004. (The Nation)
