By Jennifer Amarachi
Sunday Abe, the Sunshine Stars’ long-time captain and former Nigeria youth international, has resigned from football after 18 years as a professional.
The 33-year-old defender confirmed his retirement on Wednesday in Akure, Ondo State.
“After thoughtful consideration, I’m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football after about two decades of active service as a player.
“I am really grateful for the opportunity to have spent the majority of my career as captain of my boyhood club, Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, and I will never forget my time with Teuta Durres FC of Albania.
“It is also an honour to have represented Nigeria, playing the U-17 AFCON and World Cup qualifiers as well as the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt before graduating to the national U-23 team and the Home-Based Super Eagles in 2010”.
The player, who already holds two coaching qualifications, also stated that he is open to deeper involvement in football off the field.
“No matter the circumstances, football is still part of me.
“In the last years of my active days, I have been preparing for bigger roles in the backroom as well as the boardroom and I will be ever ready to give everything off the field,” Abe stated.
Abe began as a youth player with the Ondo State Football Development Committee before being promoted to the first team in 2006.
In 2007, he was a member of the Golden Eaglets team that competed in the U-17 AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
However, due to an injury, he was unable to compete in the World Cup, which Nigeria won under late coach Yemi Tella in South Korea. In 2009, he was also a member of the Flying Eagles team, which competed in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
He was chosen Sunshine Stars captain in 2013 and competed in the Nigeria Premier Football League for 17 seasons. His final game for the club was a 1-0 away win over Doma United on June 19, which catapulted them to safety in Nigeria’s top division.
