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Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has paid a touching tribute to former Super Eagles star and youth coach Nduka Ugbade by gifting him a brand-new car in appreciation of his impact on the player’s career, Footynaija.com reports.
The generous gesture was Ndidi’s way of honouring Ugbade, who played a crucial role in his early football development when their paths crossed during Nigeria’s U-17 national team camp. Ugbade was serving as assistant coach of the Golden Eaglets at the time.
This is beautiful and emotional.
— Adepoju Tobi Samuel (@OgaNlaMedia) June 7, 2025
Wilfred Ndidi gifted his grassroots coach, Nduka Ugbade a car.
The gift enter Nduka body sha. pic.twitter.com/DGqy8fa84K
Though Ndidi was ultimately excluded from the 2013 squad due to a borderline age MRI test result, he remained undeterred. The determined midfielder went on to shine with the U-20 Flying Eagles, earn a move to Belgian side Genk in 2015, and later seal a high-profile switch to Leicester City in 2017.
Despite not donning the Golden Eaglets shirt in competitive play, Ndidi has never forgotten the role Ugbade played in mentoring him through that crucial phase.
Ugbade, himself a national icon, captained Nigeria to Africa’s first FIFA title when the U-16 team triumphed at the 1985 World Championship in China.
He also featured in Nigeria’s U-20 squad that finished second at the 1989 World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia. As a coach, he helped lead the Golden Eaglets to glory at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the UAE.
