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‘I Don’t Know When God Says Stop’- Ighalo Hints Retirement
- Odion Ighalo has hinted at retirement, indicating years left in his football career.
- Despite retiring from the national team after 2019 AFCON, he’s still prolific for his club.
- Ighalo stated he has played for passion and it’s time to play for money.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has hinted at retirement by suggesting he has no more than three years left in his football career.
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The 34-year-old transferred to Al-Wehda last August from Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
Ighalo, a late bloomer, debuted for Nigeria’s senior team in 2015 during a friendly against Uganda, which ended in a 1-0 loss for the Eagles.
Following an impressive performance at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, where he scored five goals in seven games and led the Eagles to a third-place finish, Ighalo announced his retirement from the national team.
Before the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the former Manchester United striker rejoined the national team and played three games.
Ighalo won Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilah
His final appearance for the Eagles was against Ghana at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja in 2022, as Nigeria exited the qualifying race for the World Cup in Qatar.
He represented Nigeria 37 times, netting 16 goals.
Although he may have retired from the national team, Ighalo continues to be prolific for his club sides. So far this season, he has scored 12 goals in 26 league appearances.
During the last season with Al-Hilal, the Watford legend scored 21 goals and provided three assists in 34 games across all competitions.
Although he is not showing any sign of slowing down, the Lagos-born forward has hinted that he could be retiring soon.
Ighalo in action for the Super Eagles
I don’t know when God says stop, but I know it’s not going to be more than three years before I stop. I’ve played for passion all my life, I have to play for money now,” Ighalo told Oma Sports TV.
“I’m not one of those players that will say I am playing football for passion. I am playing for money, at the end of the day it is about the money.
“See people that are going to Saudi Arabia, big players. Is Ronaldo still playing for passion? He has made more than 100 times what I have in my life, but he still went to Saudi. Do you want to tell me that is passion? No, it’s for money.
“It’s only when we Africans say it they will say we like money. But these people don’t care, some of them want to be the highest paid and all that.”
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In 2017, Ighalo left Europe for the Chinese club Chang Chung Yatai following a successful spell with Watford in England, where he contributed 55 goals (40 goals and 11 assists) in 100 appearances for the Hornets.
After stints with Chinese clubs Chang Chung Yatai and Shanghai Shenhua, Ighalo returned to England by securing a six-month loan deal with Manchester United.
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