Former Nigeria international striker Michael Eneramo collapsed and died on the pitch in Ungwan Yelwa, Kaduna, on Friday morning, during a local friendly game in which he had played the entire first half, www.aclsport.com reports.
Early reports indicated that Eneramo appeared to have suffered cardiac arrest five minutes into the second half of the said friendly match. He was born on 26th November 1985 in Kaduna.
Eneramo was nicknamed Al Dababa (The Tank) by fans of Esperance Sportive de Tunis, where he enjoyed a glorious career, winning several pieces of silverware. The Kaduna-born striker was much-loved in the North African country for his confident play, and he also featured for top clubs Besiktas, Sivasspor, and Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey.
“This is devastating. I am short of words at this moment. I can only pray that God will grant him eternal rest and also grant his loved ones and the Nigeria football family the fortitude to bear the loss,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said on the telephone from Cairo, Egypt.
For the Super Eagles, Eneramo won 10 caps after rejecting overtures from Tunisia to take that country’s nationality and opt for an international odyssey with the Carthage Eagles. He made his debut in a friendly match against Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in London on 11th February 2009, which ended goalless.
In his second game, also a friendly, he scored his first goal for Nigeria against the Republic of Ireland in a 1-1 draw in London on 29th May 2009. He also played against France in Nigeria’s 1-0 win in Saint Etienne four days later.
Eneramo will be fondly remembered for his goal in the 2010 WCQ match against Tunisia in Abuja on 6th September 2009.
