Google doodle celebrates Stephen Keshi today, Happy birthday Stephen Keshi.
Google took this a step further by celebrating our late football icon and personality, on his 56th birthday. What a world icon he is. Just as google honoured this former captain of the Super Eagles, Deedeesblog celebrates him as well.
Google Doodle Celebrates Stephen Keshi – How?
The Doodle is a logo designed specially on Google’s homepage which is always changed from time to time. The intention of the Google Doodle is to celebrate people, events, occasions, achievements and holidays.
The doodle will be seen in all African countries, as it illustrates all illustrous achievements of the Stephen, who won the Africa Cup of Nations as a coach and a manager – 1994 and 2013.
Isn’t he just amazing?
Remember that Chinua Achebe was earlier celebrated by Google Doodle and now Stephen Keshi. Splufic! Happy birthday to Stephen Keshi!
Google Doodle celebrates Stephen Keshi by mention numbers 94, 13 and 4
94 is a representation of 1994 – A year that Stephen Keshi led the country as a Captain to win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations. He also led the Country to the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
13 is a representation of 2013 – When he led Nigeria asa coach to quality for the 2013 Cup of Nations after defeating Burkina Faso 1 – 0 in the final. Keshi also helped Nigeria on November 16 to qualify for the 2014 World Cup after defeating Ethiopia 4-1 on aggregate in a play off match.
Brief Bio of Stephen Keshi
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was born in Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria. He was a member of the highly popular St. Finbarrs College Football Academy in 1977.
He commenced a highly successful career in football when he started playing for local clubs including New Nigeria Bank and ACB Lagos before he moved out of the country to join Anderlecht in Belgium and then RC Strasbourg of France.
Stephen Keshi was the only Nigerian who claimed the Africa Nations Cup Gold as a player and coach. He captained the Super Eagles in 1994 to victory at the Cup of Nations in Tunisia and also led the squad to victory as a manager in 2013.
Stephen was to be called up to have a stint with the Junior Eagles before he moved up the ranks to join the Super Eagles to play in the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations.
Referred to as the “Big Boss”, Stephen Keshi traveled far and wide the world to play his football trade, and he was loved by Nigerians for his rugged playing styles and determined winning mentality. Stephen Keshi earned over 60 caps with the National team, while he represented the country at the Africa Cup of Nations and Also the FIFA World Cup.
Just after he ended his international playing career. Big Boss moved into a bigger phase of football with coaching. When he joined Togo to become the national team coach, a trademark and passionate journey began for him.
Togo, little known in the world of football started from the bottom and moved all the way to quality for the World Cup in Germany in 2006. This cemented his place as a top football great in the Nigeria world football history.
He quickly left Togo when he was called up to help redeem the Super Eagles image and he won the Nations Cup in 2013. Thereafter he became the first manager of An African Country to move a country to the knockout phase of the World Cup. An amazing man with geat grit, wit and talent for the sport. Not only was he talented, he was super passionate for football as well.
At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Stephen Keshi helped the Super Eagles make a round of 16 qualification with eventual loss to France. After the match with France, he declared that he would no longer be a part of the Super Eagles by announcing his resignation. However the NFF offered him to help the team out with two more matches!
Following a break down in negotiations with the NFF, he lost interest in the Super Eagles job and left finally.
An amazing man!
How did Stephen Keshi die?
Stephen Keshi died two years ago and would have been 56 years today if he was still alive. He passed away in Edo State, Benin City in the morning of the 7th of June, 2016. Stephen died of a heart attack enroute the hospital.
What a celebration by Google for this Africa’s top football legend to ever live on the surface of the earth.
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