Sunday Oliseh honours the late Stephen Keshi's legendary status

Keshi, affectionately known as "The Big Boss," enjoyed a distinguished career that spanned both domestic and international football.

He began in Nigeria with clubs such as ACB and New Nigerian Bank before carving out a successful journey abroad with sides including Stade d'Abidjan, Africa Sports, Lokeren, Anderlecht and Strasbourg.

Originally a midfielder before transitioning into central defence, Keshi broke new ground for Nigerian players in Europe. He became the first from his country to feature in a major UEFA club competition final, playing the full match for Anderlecht in the 1990 European Cup Winners' Cup final, where they fell 2-0 to UC Sampdoria, inspired by Italian forward Gianluca Vialli.

On the international stage, Keshi represented Nigeria at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including the 1984 and 1988 finals, before being part of the historic 1994 squad that lifted the continental crown.

Although he did not feature in the final, his leadership and experience were widely regarded as vital within the team setup.

Speaking on his "Global Football Insights" podcast, Oliseh highlighted Keshi's discipline, professionalism and commanding presence, noting that his influence extended far beyond the pitch.

"He led by example, he was disciplined and that was the kind of person he was, he was a winner," Oliseh said, as quoted by All Nigeria Soccer.

Oliseh also emphasised Keshi's elite mentality, pointing out how he balanced club and international commitments at a time when such arrangements were rare.

"At one point, even when Nigeria went for the Nations Cup, Keshi would fly in from Belgium, play, and return immediately to his club. That was how huge his personality was," he added.

According to Oliseh, Keshi's reputation was already cemented long before many of his teammates joined the national team, with younger players growing up watching him dominate both in Africa and Europe.

"We all saw that as kids. We knew this was a superstar, and his teammates accepted it," he concluded.

Keshi's legacy remains one of the most influential in Nigerian football history, remembered not only for his achievements but also for setting the standard for future generations.