Ex-Super Eagles midfielder, Emmanuel Ebiede, dies aged 47

Ex-Super Eagles of Nigeria midfielder, Emmanuel Ebiede, has passed away at the age of 47 following liver complications, as confirmed by his daughter Lisa Ebiede. 

The ex-Heerenveen and Sharks of Port Harcourt midfielder died at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) after a bout with illness that resulted in hepatomegaly complications. 

Confirming the news to a news outlet, Lisa Ebiede said, “It is true. My father died this evening at RSUTH from hepatomegaly complications.

“The doctors tried everything and their possible best to increase his blood pressure, but it was too low for them to remove the fluids in his stomach.

She also suggested that his condition rapidly deteriorated after initially getting better before his eventual death as he stopped responding to medical intervention. 

“He was getting better but at some point, the treatment was not working anymore,” she said, before continuing, “He was just not responding to treatment.

“We thought he was getting better but it was not working. He went through so much pain. He stopped passing urine and faeces. In fact, it was just something else.

“We were just hoping on God but he’s gone to rest now.”

Ebiede was survived by his wife and two kids at the time of his passing. 

Ebiede made three senior caps for the Super Eagles, making his debut under Serbian manager Bora Milutinovic in a 1-0 win over Iran in a preparatory friendly match played ahead of the 1998 World Cup in France. 

Although Ebiede failed to make the team for the World Cup, he played two more times for Nigeria. 

His first involvement with a national team setup came in the African Youth Championships in 1995, held in Nigeria, where the Flying Eagles eventually came third, losing to Cameroon in the semifinals. 

Ebiede started his career with his hometown team, Sharks of Port Harcourt, before moving to Europe with Belgian club Eendracht Aalst. He also played in the Netherlands with Heerenveen as well as in the UAE with clubs like Al Jazira, Al Ain, and Ashdod before moving to Israel with Maccabi Petah Tikva and Hapoel Bnei Lod.