The Nigeria Football Federation has appointed former Super Eagles’ defender and captain, Joseph Yobo, as assistant coach of the team.
He replaces Imama Amapakabo in the three-time African champions’ technical crew.
Yobo, who played for the Flying Eagles at the U-20 World Cup in 1999, won his first cap for the senior team in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match away to Zambia in Chingola in April 2001 and played in three World Cup finals in 2002, 2010 and 2014.
The 39-year-old also played in six Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013, capping it with leading the Super Eagles to their third continental title in South Africa in 2013. He played a total of 100 matches for Nigeria at the senior level.
A thoroughbred and dedicated professional, Yobo played his club football in five countries, including sterling appearances for Olympique Marseille in the French topflight, Fenerbahce in Turkey and Everton in the English Premiership.
Yobo scored several crucial goals for the Eagles in important qualifying matches for the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. He was also among the scorers when the Eagles thrashed South Africa’s Bafana Bafana 4-0 in a group phase match in Tunisia 16 years ago.
Yobo also played club football in Belgium with Standard Liege, Tenerife in Spain and Norwich City in England, having started out with Michellin-Harcourt in Rivers State in 1996.
