Stephen Keshi

Keshi started with ACB Lagos in 1979, and joined New Nigerian Bank a year later, where over the course of four years he won 2 WAFU cups. However, in 1984, he was banned by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) from all football activities in Nigeria, so he left for Ivorian Stade d'Abidjan. It was the signing of the contract with Stade d'Abidjan that drew the ire of the NFF in banning Keshi. After helping Stade win two Coupe Houphouët-Boigny trophies in a year, he left for rivals Africa Sports, where he won the domestic double of the league and the cup. After a playing career mostly with Belgian clubs, where he won the Belgian league championship with R.S.C. Anderlecht in 1991. Keshi went to the United States to be educated in coaching.

In 1996, he was joined by Augustine Eguavoen, who once coached the Nigerian national team. They played together in California as the backbone of the defence for the short-lived Sacramento Scorpions. Keshi has been a part of the coaching staff for the Nigerian national team, most notably as head coach for the Junior Eagles at the 2001 African Youth Championship which also served as qualification for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, without success. Between 2004 and 2006 Keshi coached the Togo national team, surprisingly bringing them to their first World Cup tournament, Germany 2006. Having secured Togo's unlikely qualification, he was promptly replaced by German coach Otto Pfister prior to the World Cup finals, after Togo showed a dismal performance and failed to advance to the knock-out stage in 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. However, Pfister did not last beyond a controversial World Cup campaign that nearly resulted in a player's strike over pay and Togo remained without a manager until February 2007 when they re-engaged Keshi in time for a friendly against Cameroon. He worked as manager of the Mali national team, after being appointed in April 2008 on a two-year deal. Keshi was sacked in January 2010, after Mali's early exit in the group stages of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria national team

Keshi became coach of the Nigeria national team in 2011. He led Nigeria to qualification for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which they went on to win,…

Keshi was born on 23 January 1962 in Azare, Bauchi State. He hailed from Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State and was of Igbo descent. Keshi had his early education at Saint Paul's Catholic Nursery and Primary School, Apapa Road, Lagos State. He proceeded to Saint Finbarrs’ College, Akoka, Lagos in 1976. Keshi was married to Kate (née Aburime) for 30 years. She died on 10 December 2015, after battling cancer for three years. They had four children. Their oldest son Kos Keshi played football professionally. Keshi had a heart attack and died en route to hospital on 7 June 2016 in Benin City, aged 54. His wife had died the previous December.

Keshi was honoured by Google with a doodle on what would have been his 56th birthday.