Sebastine Brodericks-Imasuen, the coach who led the Golden Eaglets to victory in the inaugural U-17 World Cup in 1985, has passed away at the age of 85.
Brodericks-Imasuen had been on life support at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital for over a year and had been diagnosed with Ischemic stroke in December 2022.
Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks or narrows an artery leading to the brain, often forming in arteries damaged by the buildup of plaques (atherosclerosis).
The late coach had been receiving treatment for his condition before his demise.
One of the players trained by Brodericks-Imasuen at the 1989 U-17 World Cup, Bamidele Oguntuashe, initially broke the news, and the death was later confirmed by Harrison Jalla, the Chairman of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria Task Force.
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The iconic coach had been bedridden for several months, reportedly suffering from a stroke and diabetes.
Brodericks-Imasuen had a storied career in Nigerian football, representing Nigeria at the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968 and scoring a memorable free kick to win the Challenge Cup for Bendel Insurance in 1972.
As a coach, he played a crucial role in the historic victory of the Nigerian team at the U-17 World Cup in China in 1985.
He led the team again in 1987 to Canada, reaching the final before losing to the Soviet Union in a penalty shootout.
His coaching career also included serving as an assistant to Clemens Westerhof in the Super Eagles. Brodericks-Imasuen began his football journey in 1956 and had a successful playing career before transitioning to coaching.
He notably coached the Midwest junior side to win a gold medal at the inaugural National Sports Festival in 1973.
The late coach will be remembered as a football legend who made significant contributions to Nigerian football both as a player and a coach.
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