Sunday Oliseh Biography: Early Life, Career, Stats, Wife & Net Worth
Sunday Oliseh (born September 14, 1974) is a Nigerian football manager and former defensive midfielder. Physically and technically gifted, he played for renowned European clubs, including Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, and Juventus. He is widely considered as one of the most talented African midfielders of all time.
Sunday Olise Biography
Oliseh has been a dedicated footballer since boyhood, despite his parents’ desires. His love of football did not interfere with his education, and he graduated among the top three students in his class. His father was a businessman, while his mother was a devout Catholic and a businesswoman.
Before being asked to trials by a Belgian football agent, he merged his academics and playing career. To the agent’s amazement, Oliseh was immediately admitted into RFC Liège’s first team. After four years with FC Liege, he moved on to AC Reggiana, Ajax, Juventus, and KRC Genk in Belgium.
His younger brothers, Azubuike and Egutu, were also professional football players; another brother is Churchill Oliseh, and his nephew is Sekou Oliseh.
Playing Career
Oliseh played 55 international matches for Nigeria, scoring four goals, and competed in the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. Oliseh also competed for Nigeria in the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal.
In 1998, CAF ranked Oliseh Africa’s third-best footballer. He is best renowned for scoring the game-winning goal in Nigeria’s 3-2 victory over Spain in the 1998 World Cup group stage. Fernando Hierro cleared a throw-in deep in the Spanish half, and Oliseh raced in and blasted a powerful strike from 25 yards, utterly surprising Spanish goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta.
Despite captaining Nigeria at the 2002 African Cup of Nations, Oliseh was left out of his country’s World Cup roster later that year due to disciplinary issues. After missing out on World Cup selection, Oliseh withdrew from international football in June 2002, claiming unpaid allowances and dues.
Borussia Dortmund fired Oliseh in March 2004 after he allegedly headbutted teammate Vahid Hashemian while on loan at VfL Bochum due to racial remarks.
Oliseh retired from professional football in January 2006, aged 31, after a half-season with Belgian First Division A team K.R.C. Genk.
Managerial Career
Oliseh began his coaching career in Belgium with youth teams in Verviers, Belgium’s third division, most notably the Under 19 team. He advanced to the first team as Verviers’ chief coach in the 2008-09 season. During the 2014-15 season, he was appointed Chief Coach and Club Manager of RCS VISE in Belgium’s 3rd Division.
In 2015-16, he was selected by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) as the National Team Chief Coach of Nigeria (Super Eagles of Nigeria), where he amassed an amazing record of 14 games (just two losses), 19 goals scored, and 6 conceded.
He qualified Nigeria for the CHAN tournament in Rwanda, the group stage of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, and a draw in Tanzania in his debut game as Nigeria’s Chief Coach. He quit as Nigeria’s national coach at 2:28 a.m. on February 26, 2016, exactly one month before the team’s AFCON qualifier against Egypt.
He was only 8 months into his tenure as manager when contract infractions and a lack of support and unpaid wages and benefits to his players, assistant coaches, and himself became apparent. On December 27, 2016, it was reported that Oliseh had been named the new manager of Fortuna Sittard.
He was fired on February 14, 2018, and said the reason was that he refused to participate in illicit activities at the club. Former Nigerian captain and Chelsea player John Mikel Obi rated Oliseh as the worst coach he had ever played for because he had no idea what he was doing and shattered player unity within the national team, which led to Vincent Enyeama departing.
After two years without a club, Oliseh revealed in March 2020 that he had turned down “two jobs from Belgian clubs” while waiting for the ideal offer.
In June 2022, he was named the new head coach of German club SV 19 Straelen. In August 2022, after only two months in command, he resigned after the club lost five games in a row.
Sunday Oliseh wife
Olish is married to Hafidah, a Belgian Moroccan, and the two have a son named Denzel.
Sunday Oliseh net worth
Clifford Sunday Oliseh’s net worth is expected to range between $4 million and $6 million by 2025. This figure includes earnings from his football career, coaching gigs, punditry positions, endorsements, and personal investments.
Social Media
Instagram: @sundayooliseh
