Former Super Eagles captain and two-time CAF Champions League champion Vincent Enyeama has hinted at the potential of making a spectacular return to the Nigerian league after 17 years of leaving for a career in Europe.
Before joining Enyimba in 2001, Enyeama had his big break at Ibom Stars, where he made 56 appearances and scored a goal.
The goalkeeper made 100 appearances and scored 10 goals during his three years at Enyimba.
Enyeama, one of the top goalkeepers in Africa, won two CAF Champions Leagues and three league championships with the Aba Elephant.
Before moving to Israel in 2005 to join Bnei Yehuda, where he spent two seasons, the Aba-born goalkeeper had another stint with Iwuanyanwu Nationale.
The illustrious goalkeeper signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv from 2007 and 2011, making 113 games there.
Enyeama joined French club Lille in 2011 for an undisclosed sum on a three-year deal, and for the 2013–14 Ligue 1 season, he replaced Steeve Elana as René Girard’s first-choice goalkeeper.
During the first half of the season, Enyeama kept 11 straight clean sheets in Ligue 1 games, an accomplishment that earned him the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé, which is granted to the best player representing an African national football team in Ligue 1.
The famed European career of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champion ended in 2018.
Enyeama, who turned 40 last week, admitted he wasn’t done yet as he prepared to resume his career after making over 600 appearances during his tenure.
In an interview with Uyo’s Comfort 95.1FM, he said, “It’s really interesting, yes it is, and I miss football.
“So, I would like to return to it, first with a team here in France, because I trained here in Lille and back when I was in Akwa Ibom.
“And I will come back to Nigeria next year. So, if Akwa United needs a goalkeeper for 4 to 5 months, yes, I have the opportunity to play for free.”
Enyeama, one of Nigeria’s all-time best goalkeepers, was selected for the IFFHS CAF Men’s Team of the Decade from 2011 to 2020.
