'He needed to heal' – Why Super Eagles star Stanley Nwabali stepped away from football

Stanley Nwabali's agent has revealed the Super Eagles goalkeeper stepped away from football after losing both parents and his grandmother within months.

The goalkeeper completed an emotional return to the South African Premiership side after five months.

Nwabali left the club by mutual consent in February despite recently signing a long-term contract extension, sparking widespread speculation over his future.

However, his representative, Mohammed Lawal, has now disclosed that Nwabali was not merely leaving Chippa United, he was stepping away from football entirely to protect his mental health after suffering devastating personal losses.

According to Lawal, the goalkeeper endured unimaginable heartbreak after losing three close family members within just two months.

His grandmother died shortly before Nigeria's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic.

Only hours after that match, Nwabali's father, Chief Godspower Nwabali, also passed away, forcing him to leave the Super Eagles camp.

Just weeks later, on January 1, 2025, tragedy struck again when his mother, Grace Nwabali, died.

The emotional burden eventually became overwhelming.

"It has been very difficult for Stanley," Lawal told ESPN.

He continued, "People don't always know what is going on with these players. They only see them on the field. They know them as footballers, but they don't know that they are human beings too. Like everyone else, they go through life's challenges."

Lawal explained that after losing both parents, Nwabali suddenly found himself carrying enormous family responsibilities while still trying to perform professionally.

He said, "After losing his parents, he became responsible for everything. As a professional, he knew he had to keep playing, but it was affecting him. If he continued, he was going to destroy himself because when you're not in the right mental state, it shows.

"Stanley used to be lively and always smiling. During the last AFCON and the World Cup qualifiers, he became unusually aggressive. He was shouting at teammates and confronting opponents. But that wasn't the real Stanley."

The emotional pain became so severe that Nwabali contemplated walking away from football permanently.

According to Lawal, the goalkeeper confided in Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi about his desire to quit before teammates rallied around him.

Those closest to him eventually advised him to step away from the game temporarily.

"We told him, 'This isn't you. Take time away before you do permanent damage to your career,'" Lawal revealed.

He added, "Sometimes you want to appear strong, but inside you're suffering. These are private matters. He doesn't owe anyone a detailed explanation about his personal life until he is ready."