Tragedy for Wilfred Ndidi as Besiktas confirm death of Super Eagles captain’s father

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi is facing a period of deep personal grief after the death of his father, Pa Sunday Ndidi, in a road accident, footynaija.com reports.

The news was confirmed on Tuesday by the midfielder’s club, Besiktas, who announced the tragedy in a statement shared on their official social media platforms. The Turkish club said Ndidi’s father died in a fatal traffic accident and offered their condolences to the Nigeria international and his family.

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has lost his father in a ghastly motor accident 💔.

Our thoughts are with him.” pic.twitter.com/lJW6IimF3M

— Leagues Reporter (@LeaguesReporter) January 27, 2026

Besiktas wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our footballer Wilfred Ndidi’s esteemed father, Sunday Ndidi, in a fatal traffic accident.
“May Allah grant mercy to the deceased; we extend our condolences to our footballer Wilfred Ndidi, his family, and loved ones.”

The message is likely to be echoed by teammates, fans and the wider football community, coming at a time when Ndidi has been enjoying one of the most rewarding spells of his career. After leaving Leicester City last summer, he has settled quickly at Besiktas and, in December, was handed a major honour at home when he was named captain of the Super Eagles following the retirement of William Troost-Ekong.

This is sad.

Let’s send our condolences to Wilfred Ndidi and his family.

Stay strong skippo 😢 pic.twitter.com/6LuKt6ysTQ

— Adepoju Tobi Samuel 🇳🇬 (@OgaNlaMedia) January 27, 2026

His first major test in that role came at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where Nigeria finished third and claimed the bronze medal. Ndidi was one of the tournament’s most influential players, helping the team strike a fine balance between attack and defence as the Super Eagles scored 14 goals and conceded only four in seven matches. Nigeria won every game he started, with their only defeat coming in the semi-final he missed through suspension.

Those performances have sparked fresh transfer interest, but for now football takes a back seat as Ndidi comes to terms with a profound personal loss.