Ex-Golden Eaglets player, Philip Osondu Is Dead

According to the Nation, Osondu was said to have felt unwell at work and decided to visit the hospital where he subsequently died. 

Philip Osondu, who was the star boy of Nigeria’s Under-17 Golden Eaglets’ exploit in Canada in 1987, is dead.

He reportedly died in Belgium at the age of 48 after taking self to the hospital to be examined on Thursday.

Osondu played regularly for the youth teams of Nigeria, but never reached the first team.

In 1987 he participated in the World U-16 tournament in Canada. Nigeria reached the final, but then lost on penalties to the Soviet Union.

He got the World Cup Golden Ball as best player of the tournament.

Osondu was born on 28 November, 1971. He played in Belgium for teams, including RSC Anderlecht and RWDM.

Osondu played in his native Nigeria for El Kanemi Warriors when RSC Anderlecht brought him to Belgium in 1988. The attacker was seen as an emerging football talent and was transferred to Anderlecht that was a promising team. A year later, the 18-year-old striker made his debut at the highest level in an away match against Germinal Ekeren in 1989 playing under coach Aad de Mos.

However, there was a lot of competition at Anderlecht with players like Luc Nilis, Luis Oliveira, Marc Van Der Linden and Gert Verheyen which made Osondu appear barely at the games. Between 1990 and 1992 the Nigerian was also loaned to neighbours RWDM.