“I Felt Like Quitting” – Super Eagles Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali Opens Up About Losing Both Parents

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has opened up about the emotional challenges he faced after losing both of his parents within a short span.

Speaking to ACL Sports while in camp with the team in Morocco ahead of their Round of 16 clash, Nwabali recalled the overwhelming grief he experienced following the deaths of his mother and father. The Super Eagles had secured top spot in Group C with nine points from three matches.

He revealed that the loss hit him so hard that he briefly considered quitting football, but the support of his teammates helped him persevere.

“My mom passed away on this day last year around 12 pm. I try to move on and be strong, but sometimes I feel like quitting. At one point, I even told my captain that I wanted to quit football. But with the support of some of my teammates, I was able to carry on. My mom and dad were so dear to me. Losing them has been incredibly painful. It’s not something any footballer—or any human—should have to experience: losing both parents,” Nwabali said.

His father passed away in November 2025, just hours after he featured in the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw against Benin Republic in the 2025 Nations Cup qualifiers. On January 1, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the passing of his mother, describing 2025 as “the worst year of my life.”

He wrote: “RIP mom, worst year of my life already,” alongside heartbreak and tear emojis, adding earlier: “A very very crazy world indeed.”