The former Super Eagles goalie, Wilfred Agbonavbare has passed on early today in Spain.
Agbonavbare who played for Rayo Vallecano Football Club of Spain during his playing days died of cancer which he had been battling with for some months.
Futaa.com reports early today of the death of Agbonavbare who has been canvassing for assistance from different quarters before his former club, Vallecano raised money to bring the late Agbonavbare to Alcala de Henares cancer hospital in Spain where he died.
Spanish daily Marca, reports that Rayo Vallecano organized a campaign: #FuerzaWilfred and they have been able to realize the sum of 21,106.90 Euros which they handed out to his family.
Rayo Vallecano before their game this past weekend jointly displayed a banner with their opponents, in support of their former player.
Agbonavbare had lost his wife to cancer a few years back, and had sent his children home. His friends in Spain had arranged for the children to come and see their father, but sadly, they will now not see him alive again.
Agbonavbare appeared with the Nigerian under-20s at the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship in Mexico. He also played for more than one decade with the Super Eagles, being selected for the 1994 African Cup of Nations and that year’s FIFA World Cup, backing up Peter Rufai on both occasions.
Agbonavbare played for New Nigeria Bank F.C. and BCC Lions FC at home. In 1990 he moved to Spain where he would spend the rest of his career, starting with Rayo Vallecano in Segunda División.
In his second season with the Madrid outskirts team Agbonavbare appeared in all 38 league games (3 332 minutes of action, 27 goals conceded, second-best in the competition) as the club finished second and returned to La Liga after two years of absence.
