Saving More Than Goals: Nigeria's Keeper Opens Up About Grief and Grit Ahead of AFCON Knockout
2 January 2026
Personal Trials Shape Nigeria's Keeper Ahead of AFCON
Stanley Nwabali, Nigeria's goalkeeper, said he had thought long and hard about retirement after the deep personal ordeal he endured following the death of his parents.
Nigeria were preparing to face Mozambique on Monday in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, held this year in Morocco.
His father died in November 2024 during AFCON qualifiers, and a few weeks later his mother followed, in early January 2025.
"I don't want to talk about my parents, because soon there will be a full year since my mother's death," Nwabali said in statements published by New Telegraph.
"As you know, I try to keep a lot of things to myself. I tried to move on and be strong, but often I feel like giving up," he added.
He said he spoke with captain William Troost-Ekong about stepping away, but with the help of teammates he carried on, though the pain remains.
Punchline 1: If life fires a shot, you save it—then celebrate with a victory pose, preferably without breaking into a sprint from the bench.
Punchline 2: Retirement? Only if the coach offers a pension; otherwise, a goalkeeper still has a few more saves in him, and a few more jokes to tell on the bus.
