Overview
Biography
Kanu was signed from Nigerian club football by Ajax as a teenager and won the Champions League with them in 1995. A heart valve condition was diagnosed after his transfer to Inter Milan and corrected by surgery; he returned to competitive football and later founded the Kanu Heart Foundation, which funds cardiac treatment for Nigerian children.
He joined Arsenal in 1999 and was part of the sides that won the Premier League in 2002 and 2004 and the FA Cup in 2002 and 2003, then moved to West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth, scoring the winning goal in the 2008 FA Cup final. With Nigeria he captained the team that won gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, played at two World Cups, and was twice named African Footballer of the Year. He retired from playing in 2012.
Notable achievements
- Won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995
- Premier League titles with Arsenal in 2002 and 2004, and FA Cups in 2002, 2003 and 2008
- Captained Nigeria to Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996
- Twice named African Footballer of the Year
Legacy
Kanu's career is unusual for its length and for continuing at the top level after major heart surgery, and the foundation he established has funded cardiac operations for Nigerian children for many years.