Sports

Former Italian International , Walter Zenga Joins Race To Coach Super Eagles

Published

5 years ago

April 23, 2022

Former Italian National team goalkeeper and Manager at Cagliari, Walter Zenga has announced his intention to Coach the Super Eagles of Nigeria, and has submitted his application to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation.

According to his agent, Alberto “Jimmy” Fontana, the Coach who was born on 28 April 1960 last managed Serie A club Cagliari. He was a long-time goalkeeper for Inter Milan and the Italian National team

His first managerial job was as Player-Manager of New England Revolution.
He had a short stint with Milanese Serie D team Brera Calcio, before moving to Romania in 2002, where he managed Naţional București and then Steaua București where he won the domestic title and reached the Round of 16 of the 2004–05 UEFA Cup after eliminating UEFA Cup winners Valencia from the competition.

In the summer of 2005, Zenga joined Red Star Belgrade, leading the Serbo-Montenegrin team to a double (National League and National cup).

In the summer of 2006, Zenga was appointed as the coach of Turkish Süper Lig side Gaziantepspor; he resigned in January 2007 in order to accept an offer from United Arab Emirates club Al-Ain.

In September 2007, Zenga was announced as new Manager of Dinamo București, replacing Mircea Rednic.

Other teams he handled included Catania in April 2008, he saved them from relegation to Serie B and Palermo in 2009.

On 11 May 2010, he was announced new head coach of Saudi Professional League club Al-Nassr and later moved to Al Nasr SC in 2011 in the UAE Pro-League.

When he returned to Italy in 2015, Zenga was appointed head coach at Serie A side Sampdoria for the 2015–16 season. In 2016, he was at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

On 8 December 2017, Zenga was appointed Crotone manager and took over in Cagliari in March 2020.

During his playing career, Zenga was part of the Italian squad that finished fourth at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and was the starting goalkeeper for the Italian team that finished third in the 1990 FIFA World Cup tournament held in Italy, keeping a World Cup record unbeaten streak. A three-time winner of the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper Award, Zenga is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of all time.

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Sports

Drogba, Amuneke, Eguavoen Lead African Legends’ Arrival in Lagos

Published

58 mins ago

November 7, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

With just one day to the much-anticipated Legends of Africa Football Game, Ivorian football icon Didier Drogba has arrived in Lagos, joining an impressive assembly of former African internationals already in the city ahead of Sunday’s star-studded encounter.

Drogba’s arrival further heightens anticipation for the game, which will bring together some of the continent’s most celebrated football figures at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.

Also in Lagos are Nigerian football greats Mobi Oparaku, Emmanuel Amuneke, Emmanuel Babayaro, Garba Lawal, Austin Eguavoen and Mutiu Adepoju, alongside other members of the legendary Super Eagles generations of 1994 and 1996.

The African contingent also features distinguished names including Togo’s Emmanuel Adebayor, Senegal’s El-Hadji Diouf, Ghana’s Stephen Appiah and Cameroon’s Rigobert Song, among other former international stars.

The excitement will extend beyond the legends’ reunion, with popular Nigerian entertainers and celebrities preparing for a special Celebrity Match as part of the event. Yhemolee, Sheggz, Jeriq, Teddy A and Charles Okocha are among the personalities set to feature in the celebrity fixture, scheduled to begin at 1:30pm.

The Celebrity Match will form part of a wider programme of activities designed to give fans a full day of football, entertainment and celebration before the main legends’ fixture, which kicks off at 5pm. Gates open at 1:30pm.

Organized by Toptier Sports Management in collaboration with Afreximbank and CANEX as part of CANEX WKND 2026, the game will feature 15 Nigerian legends taking on 13 African icons in a celebration of the players whose achievements helped shape the history of football on the continent.

Beyond the match, the programme includes a football clinic involving 500 young players, entertainment and special recognition for the heroes of African football.

The Legends of Africa Football Game promises a memorable gathering of football royalty, bringing together generations of fans to celebrate the enduring legacy of the continent’s finest players.

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