Former Green Eagles Star, Charles Bassey, Dies After Prolonged Illness

• Former Green Eagles Star, Charles Bassey, Dies After Prolonged Illness.
• 1980 AFCON winner struggled with spinal injury complications.
• Bassey coached top Nigerian clubs after retiring from football.

Former Green Eagles player, Charles Bassey, has passed away following a prolonged battle with ill health. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) confirmed his death in a statement on Sunday.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Bassey, a key member of Nigeria’s 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)-winning squad, died on Saturday in his hometown of Eket, Akwa Ibom State. His passing came just hours after the death of another football legend, Christian Chukwu, who also captained and coached the Eagles.

Bassey’s health struggles spanned several years. In 2019, he revealed he had suffered “nerve root compression” in his spinal cord as a result of a car accident in 1986. The condition worsened over time, severely affecting his ability to walk and leading him to publicly seek financial assistance for his medical care.

In 2021, Bassey disclosed that the Femi Otedola Foundation sponsored his spinal cord surgery, offering him some relief. Despite this intervention, he continued to face health challenges until his death.

Beyond his playing career, Bassey made significant contributions to football management. He coached several clubs in Nigeria’s domestic league, including Calabar Rovers, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, BCC Lions of Gboko, Flash Flamingos, Mobil Pegasus of Eket, and Akwa United Football Club.

Bassey’s death marks a somber milestone, as he becomes the ninth member of the 1980 AFCON-winning team to pass away. Other late teammates include Best Ogedegbe, Moses Effiong, Christian Chukwu, Okechukwu Isima, Tunde Bamidele, Aloysius Atuegbu, Mudashiru Lawal, and Martins Eyo.

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