Maduka Okoye has reflected on the painful 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon exit.
Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, known as the most handsome player on the Super Eagles team, has shared details about one of the most challenging moments of his career.
This moment occurred during Nigeria’s heartbreaking exit from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon, where a goalkeeping error made by the young shot-stopper contributed to a surprising defeat against Tunisia.
What happened
Nigeria, who had impressed with a perfect group-stage campaign, were favourites heading into the Round of 16 clash against Tunisia.
However, in the 47th minute, Youssef Msakni of Tunisia unleashed a long-range effort that slipped through Okoye鈥檚 gloves, a moment that proved decisive as it ended the Super Eagles鈥 tournament run.
What Okoye said
In an interview with sports journalist Ayodele Olu Ibidapo, the Udinese goalkeeper admitted that the aftermath of the mistake took a toll on his mental health.
鈥淭he Tunisia game when we lost was tough for me, very tough for me. As a kid, you dream of playing for the Super Eagles, then you feel like you let the country down, you let your family down. It was very tough for me,鈥 Okoye said.
The 24-year-old revealed that he was still maturing in his career at the time and struggled to handle the massive backlash that followed both from fans and online trolls.
鈥淚 was younger than I am now, so I didn鈥檛 really know how to deal with it. But with time I鈥檝e learned a lot. Mistakes are a part of the game and they only make you better.
鈥淚 look back smiling, but it still hurts because I think we could have gone far in the tournament. But I know that I will make it up one day,” he added.
Okoye has since returned to the Super Eagles setup, with his performance against Russia in a friendly match in Moscow earning him praise.
He made several key saves to help Nigeria secure a 1-1 draw, showing signs that he is regaining his confidence and form between the posts.