Papilo. Captain of the Dream Team that won Olympic gold in 1996, a Champions League winner with Ajax and an Arsenal Invincible — Nwankwo Kanu is one of Nigeria’s best-loved footballers.
Quick facts
| Full name | Nwankwo Kanu |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 August 1976, Owerri, Imo State |
| Nickname | Papilo |
| Position | Forward |
| Major clubs | Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth |
| Big honours | Olympic gold (1996); Champions League (1995); 2× African Footballer of the Year (1996, 1999); Premier League (2002, 2004); FA Cup (3×) |
Early years
Kanu started at Federation Works and then Iwuanyanwu Nationale in Owerri. He helped Nigeria win the 1993 U-17 World Cup, and Ajax signed him soon after.
Ajax and Atlanta 1996
At Ajax he won the Champions League in 1995. A year later he captained Nigeria’s “Dream Team” to Olympic gold in Atlanta, scoring a famous late equaliser and golden goal against Brazil in the semi-final before beating Argentina in the final.
A heart problem
After moving to Inter Milan in 1996, a medical test found a serious heart defect. He had surgery and many feared his career was over — but he returned to football, and in 2000 founded the Kanu Heart Foundation to help children with heart conditions get treatment.
