The Nigerian Football Federation has sent a condolences message to Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze, following the passing of his mother, Sarah Chukwueze.
The 26-year-old winger, who plies his trade for Premier League outfit Fulham received the devastating news on Thursday. Meanwhile, reasons behind the passing of Mrs. Sarah Chukwueze is yet to be known.
Despite the winger not commenting about the death of his mother, the NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi has joined the masses paying tribute to Chukwueze’s mother, stressing she was central and supportive figure in the lives of her children.
“We are aware that Sarah Chukwueze was a vital and supportive presence in the lives of her children, including our international player, Samuel Chukwueze,” Sanusi said.
“Samuel has always, at every opportunity, acknowledged his mother’s influence on his professional development.
“We are sad at her departure, coming only a few days after we had to mourn the sudden passing of the father of Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi.
“We pray that God will grant her eternal rest and also grant those she has left behind, including Samuel and his siblings, the fortitude to bear this great loss.”
Chukwueze represented the Super Eagles at the recent Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where Nigeria secured third place.
Born in southern Nigeria, Chukwueze moved to Europe in 2017 when he joined the Villarreal youth set-up. He progressed through the academy and B team before making his first-team debut in September 2018.
The winger scored 37 goals in 207 appearances for the LaLiga side, winning the 2021 Europa League. The following year, his crucial goal helped Villarreal beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
And in arguably the best performance of his career, he scored two and assisted another in a 3-2 away win over Real Madrid.
That helped earn Chukwueze his 2023 transfer to AC Milan, where he managed eight goals in 68 games across his first two seasons before joining Fulham last summer.
The attacker has seven goal involvements in his last seven Premier League appearances for the Cottagers either side of Afcon.
He scored twice against Manchester City then grabbed his third goal for the club in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Brighton.
Chukwueze has 56 senior caps for Nigeria and collected a runner-up medal from the 2023 Afcon, six years on from Fifa Under-17 World Cup glory alongside Victor Osimhen.
The tragedy follows closely on the heels of another loss for the Super Eagles, with captain Wilfred Ndidi also losing his father, Sunday Ndidi, in tragic accident this week.
