For many Nigerian footballers, the medical room has not just been a checkpoint but a place where dreams were limited, and where lucrative transfers collapsed at the final hurdle.
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While a few Nigerian footballers, like Nwankwo Kanu, bounced back stronger, others were forced to take entirely different career paths after failing crucial fitness tests.
It was reports that Victor Boniface’s proposed move to AC Milan broke down this summer due to fitness concerns. According to BILD, the Bayer Leverkusen striker underwent four separate tests in Italy before Milan eventually pulled out of the deal.
Boniface has since returned to Germany, leaving uncertainty over his next move. The failed transfer once again highlights the delicate balance between talent and fitness in the high-stakes world of European football.
This is not a new story for Nigerian stars. Back in 1996, Nwankwo Kanu faced a far more frightening scenario when Inter Milan doctors discovered a life-threatening heart defect during his medical. Many thought his career was over, but surgery and sheer determination brought him back.
He would later shine at Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and cementing his place as one of Africa’s greatest exports.
Other Nigerian footballers, however, never fully recovered from failed medicals. Tijani Babangida was on the verge of joining Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in 2000, but failed the stringent tests. Instead, he got on loan at Gençlerbirliği, where his career ended.
The same year, Dele Adebola’s dream of playing in Spain collapsed when Las Palmas rescinded his contract over medical concerns. Ironically, that setback rejuvenated his Birmingham City career, where he went on to help the club reach the 2001 League Cup Final before injuries caught up with him.
Seyi Olofinjana had his share of disappointment in 2004 when his Monaco move fell apart. Reflecting later, he said: “I think there was a misunderstanding after I had a medical, and as a result, I didn’t sign. But the club had a change of president, so perhaps it was political, I don’t know.” The setback turned into a blessing, as he later found success in England with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Meanwhile, David Oniya failed his medical at Uzbek side Neftchi Fergana in 2014, and while he later revived his career in Malaysia, tragedy struck a year later when he collapsed and died during a friendly match, aged just 30.
Romanus Orjinta, the former Enyimba captain, also saw his career derailed in 2007 when Zamalek pulled out of a deal after detecting health issues in his medical. Though he briefly revived his career in Nigeria, the move that could have elevated him to continental fame never materialised.
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