Bassey Akpan

Born in Eket, Nigeria, Akpan began his career with Delta Force Academy of Asaba. He was part of the team that placed third at the 1998 Nike Premier Cup in Paris, France. He later joined Bright Stars Football Academy In 1999. During the 1999 Nike Premier Cup Africa playoffs in lagos, Akpan put up an impressive performance for the Port-Harcourt-based Academy and was voted the best goalkeeper of the under-15 tournament. Akpan signed his first professional contract with southern Nigerian club, Bayelsa United in 2001, where he spent the entire 2001–02 season. He switched to Sunshine Stars, where he played for the rest of 2002–03 season, before teaming up with Kwara United for the 2003–04 season, following the relegation of the Akure-based club to second tier. He extended his contract with the Afonja Warriors for two seasons, before joining Bayelsa United for a second spell at the start of the 2006–07 season. After two seasons with Bayelsa United, Akpan secured a loan move to Heartland FC during the 2008–09 season where he helped the Naze Millionaires reach the final of the 2009 CAF Champions League for the first time in their history. At the expiration of his season long loan at Heartland in August 2009, Akpan returned to his parent club Bayelsa United for the 2009–10 season, before they exited the 2009 CAF Confederation Cup at the semi-finals. He rejoined Heartland ahead of the 2010-11 season, after Bayelsa United relegated at the end of 2009-10 NPFL season. He ended the…

Akpan's exploits at the 1998 and 1999 Nike International Premier Cup in Paris and Barcelona, earned him an invitation to the Nigeria under-17 team for the 2001 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations qualifiers in 2000. On 3 March 2001, he inspired the Golden Eaglets to its first continental title at the 2001 African U-17 Championship in Seychelles with a 3–0 victory over Burkina Faso. At the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Trinidad & Tobago, Akpan was voted Best Goalkeeper of the tournament due to his heroics in goal, despite the Golden Eaglets losing 3–0 to France in the finals to settle for a silver medal. In 2002, he was involved with the Flying Eagles team that failed to qualify for the Burkina Faso 2003 CAF U-20 Championship. From June 2003 to March 2004, Akpan was a member of the Nigeria U-23 team and took part in the CAF qualifiers as the team failed to secure a ticket for the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics Men's football event In 2008, Bassey was in goal for the Home-based Super Eagles during the Ivory Coast 2009 African Nations Championship WAFU Zone B qualifiers, helping coach Okey Emordi led team to beat Burkina Faso 4–1 on aggregate in the first round, before losing 3–2 on aggregate to Ghana in the final qualifying round. He made his senior debut for the Super Eagles on 3 March 2010, as an 80th minute substitute for Shooting Stars goalkeeper, Segun Oluwaniyi in the 5–2 win over Congo DR in Abuja. Bassey manned the post for the coach Samson Siasia tutored Home-based Super Eagles during…

International

Nigeria U-17

FIFA U-17 World Cup winner: 2001 CAF U-17 Championship winner: 2001 Nigeria

WAFU Nations Cup winner: 2010

Club

National

Bayelsa United

Nigerian Professional Football League winner: 2008-09 Heartland FC

Nigerian FA Cup winner: 2011 Akwa United

Nigeria Super Cup winner: 2016 Nigeria Super Four winner: 2016

International

Heartland FC

CAF Champions League runners up: 2009

Individual

2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship Golden Glove winner 2010 WAFU Nations Cup Golden Glove winner 2012 V-League Best Goalkeeper