By Danjuma Amodu | April 24, 2026
KADUNA – Nigerian football is in mourning following the death of former Super Eagles striker Michael Eneramo, who collapsed during a local friendly match in Kaduna on Friday morning. He was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. He was 40.
Reports indicate Eneramo completed the first half without incident before going down shortly into the second period. Despite immediate efforts to revive him at the scene and at the hospital, he could not be saved.
The Super Eagles official X account confirmed the news with a brief statement: “Rest in peace Michael.”
A Career Built on Persistence
Born in Kaduna, Eneramo began his professional career with Lobi Stars in the NPFL before securing a move to Tunisian giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis. In Tunisia he became prolific and popular, helping the club to domestic and continental success.
That form opened the door to Turkey, where he spent more than a decade representing Sivasspor, Beşiktaş, Karabükspor, İstanbul Başakşehir and Manisaspor in the Süper Lig. He later played in Algeria and Saudi Arabia before retiring in 2018.
From Kaduna to Tunis to Istanbul and beyond, Eneramo’s 15-year career was defined by persistence rather than stardom — a professional who maximised every opportunity and kept finding new stages to perform.
Ten Caps, Three Goals, One Nearly Tunisia
Eneramo’s international career was shaped by the era he played in. The Super Eagles of the late 2000s carried extraordinary attacking depth: Nwankwo Kanu, Obafemi Martins, Peter Odemwingie and Yakubu Aiyegbeni were all competing for forward positions. Breaking into that squad was an achievement in itself.
He earned his first cap under Shuaibu Amodu in 2009 after years of waiting. During his time at Espérance, when Super Eagles call-ups failed to materialise, Eneramo seriously considered switching allegiance to Tunisia. The Tunisian federation was interested, and a 2010 World Cup with Tunisia looked more attainable than a place in Nigeria’s squad. Amodu’s call ended that possibility. He went on to score against Tunisia in a World Cup qualifier — a moment heavy with irony.
Eneramo retired from international football with 10 caps and three goals.
What He Left Behind
After retiring in 2018, Eneramo returned to Kaduna and established a football academy. It was the act of a man who understood what the game had given him and wanted to ensure the next generation of Kaduna footballers had a clearer pathway than he did.
Tributes have poured in from former teammates, fans and clubs. Espérance Sportive de Tunis, where he built his early reputation and became a genuine fan favourite, was among the first to respond publicly.
He died doing what he loved, on a football pitch, among footballers. That is a painful comfort, but it is something. The Nigerian football community will remember him as one of its own: a professional who went abroad, represented his country with dignity when called upon, and came home to give back.
Michael Eneramo is survived by his family. May he rest in peace. (Football in Nigeria)
