Few footballers add an Olympic medal to their trophies – where does Nigeria’s gold at the 1996 Games in Atlanta rank for you?
Winning the gold medal in Atlanta was very special for me, as it was for Nigerians back home and all over the world. I’m grateful every single day for my football career and the fantastic clubs I had the chance to play for, but to also be an Olympian and Olympic champion is something I’ll always treasure.
You had moved to Reggiana in 1994, from Belgium – what did you make of calcio?
I was instantly struck by how competitive a league Serie A was then. During the 1990s, some of the best players were in Italy, suchBatistuta, Paolo Maldini and so many others. It was probably the most competitive league in world football. It was the pinnacle of the beautiful game, so a great start to my career – and it goes without saying that I loved the weather and the food in Italy.
