Ndidi explains recreating iconic Kanu celebration with first Super Eagles goal
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has explained the motivation behind his decision to recreate Nwankwo Kanu’s iconic celebration following Nigeria’s dramatic 3-2 win over Tunisia at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Besiktas midfielder marked the occasion by scoring his first senior international goal, a landmark moment that came after more than a decade of representing Nigeria at various levels.
Nigeria secured the victory in their second Group C match, sealing early qualification for the knockout stages and maintaining form in the tournament.
First international goal after a decade
Ndidi found the net in the second half, heading home a corner delivered by Ademola Lookman to put Nigeria firmly in control before Tunisia’s late rally.
Reflecting on the milestone, the Super Eagles captain described the moment as deeply personal.
“It was really special. After a decade, scoring my first goal is really amazing, and we got the win, which is more important,” Ndidi said.
Kanu celebration and family inspiration
After scoring, Ndidi paid tribute to Nigerian football legend Nwankwo Kanu by recreating the iconic celebration associated with the former Arsenal striker’s heroics at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Explaining the gesture, Ndidi said it was inspired by his father.
“I just remembered my dad. My dad always talks about Kanu. I had seen the video and said I would do that one for my dad,” he explained.
Focus remains on the bigger objective
Despite the win and his personal achievement, Ndidi was clear that the team is not getting carried away.
“It’s just two games. We still have the next game to play and we cannot relax,” he said. “We stay focused on the course. The most important thing is the next game. We go back to the drawing board, see our mistakes and improve.”
Comfort in Fes and managing fatigue
Ndidi also spoke positively about the team’s base in Fes, hinting at a preference to remain there if possible.
“The people in Fes are really welcoming, really nice people. We’ll try as much as possible to remain in Fes,” he said.
On concerns about fatigue after a physically demanding, rain-affected match, the captain played it down.
“It didn’t affect anything. Of course, the last 15 or 20 minutes were intense and you feel tired, but that’s normal,” Ndidi noted.
Message to Nigerians
Ndidi closed with a message to supporters back home:
“Just sit at home, keep enjoying and keep supporting the team. We are trying everything to make the country proud, and we’ll continue to do that. Happy new year.”
Nigeria will conclude their group-stage campaign against Uganda on Tuesday, with qualification already secured and focus shifting to fine-tuning ahead of the knockout rounds.
