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By Emma Njoku
Former Super Eagles’ coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, has described the late Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun as the best footballer ever produced by Nigeria.
He made the declaration as the Balogun family prepares for the 53rd memorial anniversary celebration of the late legend tomorrow.
Balogun, a striker who played for the national team for 12 years, won the Challenge Cup five times in seven finals and was the first player to score a hat- trick in the competition in 1953.
After touring with a Nigerian select team in 1949, Balogun returned to the United Kingdom in August 1955 to sign with Peterborough United and also spent time at Skegness Town before signing for Queens Park Rangers, where he scored three goals in 13 appearances in the Football League during the 1956/57 season.
On retirement as a footballer, Balogun, acclaimed for his ferocious shots, became the first African to qualify as a professional coach and was in charge of Nigeria’s football team at the 1968 Olympic Games.
Onigbinde said, “The greatest footballer Nigeria ever produced was Teslim Balogun, there’s no doubt about it. He did many things players before him, those of his time and after, and even years to come have been unable to do with the ball.
“The greatest goal scored by any footballer I’ve watched play was by Balogun, at the Olubadan Stadium, in 1968, in the match between the national team, the UK Tourists, and England”.
