Nwankwo Kanu facts for kids
.jpg)
Kanu in a friendly in 2017
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 August 1976 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.97 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| –1992 | Federation Works | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Iwuanyanwu Nationale | 25 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1996 | Ajax | 54 | (25) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Inter Milan | 12 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2004 | Arsenal | 119 | (30) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | West Bromwich Albion | 53 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2012 | Portsmouth | 143 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 406 | (98) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993 | Nigeria U17 | 6 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | Nigeria U23 | 6 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2011 | Nigeria | 86 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Honours
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nwankwo Kanu (born 1 August 1976) is a famous Nigerian footballer. He played as a forward, scoring many goals. Kanu is known as one of the greatest African footballers ever. He played for top clubs like Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion, and Portsmouth.
Kanu was part of Arsenal's "Invincibles" team. This team went through the entire 2003–04 Premier League season without losing a single game! He is also one of the few African players to win the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and an Olympic gold medal.
He won many awards, including the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and three FA Cup medals. Kanu was also named African Player of the Year twice. He is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and runs the Kanu Heart Foundation, which helps children with heart problems.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Early Career and Ajax Success
Kanu was born in Owerri, Nigeria. He started playing football for a local team called Federation Works. Then he moved to Iwuanyanwu Nationale. After playing very well in the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship, a big Dutch club, Ajax, signed him in 1993.
He quickly became a key player for Ajax. Kanu helped them win the UEFA Champions League in 1995. He came on as a substitute in the final against AC Milan. The next year, Ajax reached the final again but lost on penalties.
Time at Inter Milan
In 1996, Kanu moved to the Italian club Inter Milan. That same summer, he was the captain of the Nigerian team that won the gold medal at the Olympics. He scored two amazing late goals against Brazil in the semi-finals, turning a 2–3 score into a 4–3 win! Because of his great performances, he was named African Footballer of the Year in 1996.
After the Olympics, doctors found a heart problem during a medical check-up. Kanu had successful surgery in November 1996. He believes his strong faith helped him through this tough time. This experience also inspired him to start the Kanu Heart Foundation. This charity helps young African children who need heart surgery.
Becoming an Arsenal Legend
In February 1999, Kanu joined Arsenal in England. His debut was a bit unusual. In an FA Cup match, an opponent kicked the ball out of play so a player could get treatment. When the ball was thrown back, Kanu played it to a teammate who scored. Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, felt it wasn't fair play and offered to replay the match. Arsenal won the replay too.
Kanu quickly became a fan favorite at Arsenal. He was known for scoring important goals, often coming off the bench. He even had a special two-fingered salute for the fans. In 1999, he was named African Footballer of the Year for the second time.
One of his most famous moments was scoring a hat-trick against Chelsea in 1999. He scored three goals in just fifteen minutes, turning a 0–2 score into a 3–2 victory! Kanu won the 2003 FA Cup with Arsenal. He was also part of the famous "Invincibles" team that went undefeated in the 2003–04 Premier League season. He played 197 games for Arsenal, scoring 44 goals.
In 2006, Kanu played in Dennis Bergkamp's farewell game at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium. He scored the winning goal, becoming one of the first players to score in the new stadium. Fans still love him and cheer loudly when he visits the Emirates Stadium.
Playing for West Bromwich Albion
In 2004, Kanu moved to West Bromwich Albion. He scored his first goal for them in September 2004. In one game, he missed a very easy goal, which many people called the "Miss of the Season." However, West Bromwich Albion had a memorable season, becoming the first team to avoid relegation after being last at Christmas.
In 2005, Kanu scored against his old club, Arsenal, helping West Brom win 2–1. It was their first home win against Arsenal since 1973. West Brom was relegated at the end of the 2005–06 season, and Kanu left the club. He played 58 games and scored nine goals for them.
Winning the FA Cup with Portsmouth
Kanu joined Portsmouth in 2006. In his first game, he scored two goals and missed a penalty! He finished the season as Portsmouth's top scorer with 12 goals.
In his second season, Kanu scored in both the FA Cup semi-final and the final in 2008. His goal in the final against Cardiff City won Portsmouth the FA Cup! This was his third FA Cup winner's medal. He also scored a goal in a UEFA Cup match against AC Milan.
Kanu stayed with Portsmouth until 2012. His playing time became less as he got older. Portsmouth faced financial problems and was relegated. Kanu eventually left the club, but he later dropped a claim for unpaid wages to help the club.
International Career for Nigeria
Kanu played for the Nigeria national team from 1994 to 2011. He made his debut in a friendly game against Sweden.
He was a key player when Nigeria won the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Japan. He scored five goals in that tournament. Kanu also helped Nigeria win the Olympic gold medal in football at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Brazil.
Kanu also played in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups. He ended his international career after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He played 86 games for Nigeria and scored 12 goals. For a long time, he was Nigeria's most capped player. In 2022, he was voted the best Nigerian football player of all time.
How Kanu Played
Kanu was a very talented player. Even though he was tall (1.97 m or 6 ft 6 in), he was quick and elegant with the ball. He had excellent control and tricky footwork. He was known for his technical skills and dribbling, which made him hard to predict.
He was also a smart player with good vision. He could pass the ball well and often set up goals for his teammates. Kanu usually played as a striker, but he could also play behind the main striker or as an attacking midfielder. He was known for scoring important goals when he came off the bench, earning him the nickname "super sub" at Arsenal.
Personal Life
Kanu is from Abia State in southeast Nigeria. He is part of the Igbo ethnic group. His first name, Nwankwo, means "Child born on Nkwo market day" in the Igbo language.
Kanu's younger brother, Christopher, was also a footballer. Kanu is a Christian.
As a child, Kanu was born with a heart problem. Doctors found it and operated on it in 1996. Even though it was a serious condition, he made a full recovery and continued his football career. He has regular check-ups for his heart. In 2014, he had another successful heart surgery in the United States.
Helping Others: Kanu Heart Foundation
Because of his own experience with a heart condition, Kanu started the "Kanu Heart Foundation" in 2000. This foundation helps children with undiagnosed heart diseases get the surgery they need. It has also helped homeless children since 2008.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Iwuanyanwu Nationale | 1992–93 | Nigerian Premier League | 25 | 15 | – | 25 | 15 | |||||||
| Ajax | 1993–94 | Eredivisie | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 2 | ||||
| 1994–95 | Eredivisie | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1 | – | 7 | 1 | – | 26 | 12 | |||
| 1995–96 | Eredivisie | 30 | 13 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 13 | ||
| Total | 54 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 74 | 27 | ||
| Inter Milan | 1996–97 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 1997–98 | Serie A | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | – | 18 | 1 | |||
| 1998–99 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| Arsenal | 1998–99 | Premier League | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 | 7 | |
| 1999–2000 | Premier League | 31 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 50 | 17 | |
| 2000–01 | Premier League | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | – | 42 | 5 | ||
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 23 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | – | 39 | 6 | ||
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | – | 26 | 6 | ||
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | – | 24 | 3 | ||
| Total | 119 | 30 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 53 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 198 | 44 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 2004–05 | Premier League | 28 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 3 | ||
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 25 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 28 | 6 | |||
| Total | 53 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 9 | ||
| Portsmouth | 2006–07 | Premier League | 36 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 38 | 12 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 25 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 31 | 7 | |||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | 25 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | – | – | 28 | 4 | |||
| 2010–11 | Championship | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 34 | 2 | |||
| 2011–12 | Championship | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 1 | |||
| Total | 143 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 167 | 28 | ||
| Career total | 406 | 98 | 35 | 9 | 18 | 8 | 79 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 542 | 124 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 1994 | 3 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2004 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2008 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 86 | 12 | |
- Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kanu goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 October 1995 | Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium, Tashkent |  Uzbekistan |
3–1 | 3–2 | 1995 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations |
| 2 | 5 June 1998 | Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam |  Netherlands |
1–3 | 1–5 | Friendly |
| 3 | 22 April 2000 | Lagos National Stadium, Lagos |  Eritrea |
4–0 | 4–0 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 4 | 27 January 2001 | Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt |  Sudan |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 5 | 5 May 2001 | Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt |  Liberia |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 6 | 25 May 2003 | Independence Park, Kingston |  Jamaica |
2–2 | 2–3 | Friendly |
| 7 | 7 June 2003 | Abuja Stadium, Abuja |  Malawi |
3–1 | 4–1 | 2004 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier |
| 8 | 4–1 | |||||
| 9 | 26 March 2005 | Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt |  Gabon |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2006 World Cup qualifier |
| 10 | 8 October 2005 | Abuja Stadium, Abuja |  Zimbabwe |
4–1 | 5–1 | 2006 World Cup qualifier |
| 11 | 24 March 2007 | MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta |  Uganda |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier |
| 12 | 17 June 2007 | Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey |  Niger |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier |
Honours and Awards
Iwuanyanwu Nationale
- Nigerian Premier League: 1992–93
Ajax
- Eredivisie: 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96
- UEFA Champions League: 1994–95; runner-up: 1995–96
- UEFA Super Cup: 1995
- Intercontinental Cup: 1995
Inter Milan
- UEFA Cup: 1997–98
Arsenal
- Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04
- FA Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03; runner-up: 2000–01
- FA Charity Shield: 1999
- UEFA Cup runner-up: 1999–2000
Portsmouth
- FA Cup: 2007–08
- FA Cup runner-up: 2009–10
Nigeria U17
- FIFA U-17 World Championship: 1993
Nigeria U23
- Summer Olympics: 1996
Nigeria
- Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1995
- African Cup of Nations runner-up: 2000
- African Cup of Nations Bronze: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008
Individual Awards
- Ajax Talent of the Year: 1994–95
- African Footballer of the Year: 1996, 1999
- BBC African Footballer of the Year: 1997, 1999
- FA Cup Final Man of the Match: 2008
- IFFHS Legends
- IFFHS All-time Africa Men's Dream Team: 2021
See also
In Spanish: Nwankwo Kanu para niños
