Odion Ighalo posing with the Saudi King's Cup title
Super Eagles forward Odion Ighalo opens up he is now currently playing football for the money and not passion; npflupdates.com reports.
Ighalo was part of the Super Eagles squad that finished on the podium at the 2019 Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Egypt.
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The prolific forward who’s currently plying his trade in Saudi Arabia, in a recent interview revealed the main reason why he moved to the Saudi league.
Ighalo following a short stint at Manchester United signed for Saudi outfit Al Shabab, where he finished as one of the league’s highest goalscorers.
After a couple of seasons at Al Shabab, the former Udinese Calcio forward joined Al Hilal, where he won a lot of titles. After his contract expired, ighalo who hinted of a return to the NPFL, reversed his decision to sign for another Saudi outfit Al Whedat.
Speaking on why he continued in the Saudi league, the former Shanghai Shenhua forward revealed it was because of money.
What Ighalo said about playing for money over passion
“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 TV as per Daily Post Nigeria.
According to the 2019 AFCON highest goalscorer, it will be unfair if he’d lie he’s still playing for passion.
“I’m not one of those players who 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. 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 highest paid and all that.”
In another story, coach of flamingo(women’s U-17) Bankole has invited 25 players to the camp ahead of Burkina Faso’s world cup qualifier.
The Nigerian girls will travel to Burkina Faso for the first leg on May 11. And the reverse fixture will hold at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
The winner of the two-legged tie will take one of Africa’s three slots to the World Cup which will be hosted by the Dominican Republic.
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Some of the invited players include: Nwachukwu Prisca, Adebayo Jumai, Adegoke Khadija, Ibrahim Ayoade, Olowookere Oluwatoyin, Azeez Rokibat, Okezie Onyedikachi.
Also invited are: Afolabi Taiwo, Aderemi Mary, Moshood Shakira, Isiaka Ololade, Abdulwahab Farida, Joseph Queen among others.
