Kanu Nwankwo, a Popular and celebrated Nigerian Born Footballer also known as
Papillo was born on August 1, 1976. He is a retired Nigerian footballer, who was a member of and later the captain of the Nigerian National football team for 16 years from 1994-2010.
He is happily married to Amarachi and they are blessed with three Children; Two Boys and a Girl- Iyang Onyekachi Kanu, Sean Chukwudi Kanu and Pinky Amarachi Kanu. He got married to his wife in 2004 when Amarachi was just 18years old.
He began his career at the Nigerian league club Federation Works, before moving to Iwuanyanwu Nationale. In 1993, after a notable performance at the U-17 World Championships, he was signed by Dutch Eredivisie AFC Ajax for €207,047. He made his debut a year after and made 25 goals in 54 appearances. In 1996, he was sold to the Serie A side Internazionale for about $4.7 million the same year that he captained the Nigerian team that won the gold at the Olympics. He was also named Footballer of the Year in that year. Kanu Nwankwo has an estimated net worth of over $9 million.
It is interesting to note that he has won several medals including the UEFA Champions League medal, a UEFA Cup medal, three FA Cup Winners Medals, and two African Player of the Year awards among others. He is also one of the few players who have won the Premiere League, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal.
He has also played for and scored several goals with top international football clubs including Arsenal, West Bromwich and Portsmouth.
He made the second-most substitute appearances in Premiere League history after appearing 118 times from the bench. He has played for Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion in the English Premiere League. He is also a UNICEF ambassador.
In 1996, he got a health scare when he discovered he had a heart defect. He thereafter underwent a successful heart surgery. This however led him to found a foundation called the Kanu Heart Foundation; a Non Governmental Organization geared at helping young African children who suffer from heart defects and also to provide aid for homeless children.
It is worthy to note that he has the Nigerian National award of Officer of the Order of the Niger(OON)
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