Sebastine Broderick, the coach who steered Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to victory in the inaugural U-17 World Cup in 1985, has passed away.
The 85-year-old had been undergoing treatment for an ischemic stroke diagnosed in December 2022 at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where he was hospitalised for over a year.
His death was initially confirmed by Bamidele Oguntuashe, a player trained by Broderick for the 1989 U-17 World Cup, and later verified by Harrison Jalla, Chairman of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria Task Force.
Brodericks-Imasuen, a former standout footballer at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, achieved fame with a crucial free kick for Bendel Insurance in the 1972 Challenge Cup before transitioning to coaching.
Guiding a trio including Bala Shamaki and Christian Chukwu, he led the Nigerian team to a remarkable triumph in China in 1985.
Despite a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out loss in the 1987 Canada final and subsequent setbacks, including a quarter-final loss to Saudi Arabia, he also served as Clemens Westerhof’s assistant in the Super Eagles
