Nwankwo Kanu

thumb|Kanu in a friendly in 2017 Nwankwo Kanu (born 1 August 1976) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He was a member of the Nigeria national team, and played for Nigerian team Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Dutch side Ajax, Inter Milan of Italy, and English clubs Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth. Quotes My country people, I say it and will say it again, I am not a politician, I am a footballer. Whoever is there, is just talking, spreading fake news about me saying that I asked you to go and vote for who and who and who. No. I don’t do such. My name is Kanu ‘Papilo’ Nwankwo and you know, all my life is about football. 2023: Kanu denies endorsing any candidate. Premium Times (Nigeria), 28 January 2023. It’s very important to be happy with what you’re doing, and to me I’m very happy with what I’m doing because saving a life means a lot more than winning trophies. Trophies are good, but saving somebody who could die, giving them hope of a life, that means a lot to me. Nwankwo Kanu: ‘Trophies are good but saving somebody who could die, giving them hope of life, it means a lot to me’. Independent, 6 August 2018. I like my privacy, and when I come out, I do so for a reason, and it has to be something that is worth it. That is when you can see me. That is why you don’t see me everywhere, especially social events. It is not everywhere you see Papilo, so you can say it is deliberate. Why I plait my hair –Kanu. The Punch(Nigeria), 23 April 2016. When I saw them playing football with boots, it reminded me of how I started and I had to tell them to count themselves lucky that they had boots to play football. Kanu Nwankwo's interview You need to work hard, be focused, concentrate, be a good person and move with good people. I’ve found that when you have good friends, you would be a better person. These days, I try to make sure I talk more and influence people positively. My dad had always been a sports person, my elder brother used to play football then, even my younger brother, so it was as if members of my family have always been lovers of football. Kanu Nwankwo's interview The beautiful thing was that when it was time to play, they would leave us to play our football very well, they supported us to go after our passion and those were the things that helped us. Kanu Nwankwo's interview No, I was never interested in basketball. When I was growing up, I wasn’t this tall, so it wouldn’t have occurred to me at that time. It was as if I became very tall to this level suddenly, and here I am. The good thing is that I started playing football early, I love football, I was sleeping with my football and I even ate with it by my side Kanu Nwankwo's interview would go to the market with them and contribute my quota. So, even though my passion was football, I still contributed my quota in the house. I’m sure nobody knew Kanu would be who he is today because I also didn’t know. Kanu Nwankwo's interview I didn’t know; nobody knows the future. Like I told the kids in Tanzania, I come from a family that was not rich, but I listened to my parents; they wanted me to go to school, I did, without putting my passion for football on hold. Kanu Nwankwo's interview That passion and interest in it drove me to be who I am today because that was what I had always loved doing. I remember that there were times people felt my height wouldn’t allow me to play football, just because they thought I was too tall, but it didn’t work that way. Kanu Nwankwo's interview Suffice it to say everything about me then was football. So, regardless of my height, I would still have played football, and not basketball. Kanu Nwankwo's interview I would have been a businessman. I mean any kind of business that brings profit; buying and selling or any kind of business like that. That is what would have appealed to me. Kanu Nwankwo's interview Yes, footballers are very rich, but footballers work hard too. When you work hard in life, you are likely to be rich and if you are lazy, you would likely be poor Kanu Nwankwo's interview So, the way it works is that it is whatever you give in that determines what your outcome is. If you work hard, make sacrifices and venture into a number of productive things, you will see the result, because nothing good comes easy. Kanu Nwankwo's interview There is no shortcut to success, whether you are a footballer or not. Today, if you hear the name Dangote, everybody knows his name, for the obvious reasons, but if he tells his story, you would see that it might not have come easy. So, that is the way it is in football. Kanu Nwankwo's interview If I ask you to come and play football for 15 minutes, you would be breathing hard. Being a footballer does not come easy the way people see it. So, whatever they get is what they work for. Those figures are real but they work hard for it. Kanu Nwankwo's interview In life, certain things come and go. When I did it, that was what was in vogue; you would see people trying to come up with different hairstyles. So, when I came back from the Olympics, I was having punk. That was when I went to the hospital for medical examination and then the operation. Kanu Nwankwo's interview The interesting thing is that I’m not even the real Papilo. My big brother is the real Papilo. He was also playing football then, so anytime I went to see him, people would always call me junior Papilo. He was a good player but he stopped playing due to injuries Kanu Nwankwo's interview I wasn’t born with this hairstyle, so, it won’t always be like this. I’ll still go back, but when that will happen is what I don’t know. But if it’s about going back, be 100 per cent sure I’m going back. Kanu Nwankwo's interview Yes, my children love football. The first one is 11; he is playing in Watford Academy and he’s doing well. The second one, who is nine years old now, is also playing and I’m supporting both of them. I don’t know how it will end up but I’ll give them my support. My parents supported me to be who I am today, so I’m supporting them too Kanu Nwankwo's interview My kids are growing and I don’t want them to have a wrong orientation. So, I’ll still revert to the normal style someday. Kanu Nwankwo's interview One thing is that Nigeria is blessed with good footballers. If you go to every country in the world, you would see Nigerians playing football there. The problem with coaching in Nigeria is selection, not coaching per se. So, whether local or foreign coach, you have to choose, because we have the players. Kanu Nwankwo's interview Thank god I was able to play football again, to start winning trophies,But I had these big thoughts about Africa, about the kids there. Life is difficult in Africa, even getting three square meals. How are they going to get money for check-ups, or pay for operations? It is expensive. Right now, this I believe, this is the time we can really make an impact in the World Cup. When I say an impact, either winning the World Cup or being in the finals. And one of the African countries I feel can do that. It means a lot because I've been there already, but the thing with Africa is whenever any country (from the continent) is playing, the other countries are supporting it, which is very very massive and very very good for the region. External links Nwankwo Kanu Category:1976 births Category:Soccer players from Nigeria Category:Living people Category:UNICEF goodwill ambassadors