Former Super Eagles forward Nwankwo Kanu is celebrating his 42nd birthday today.
The 1996 African Footballer of the year was born on the 1st of August 1976 in Owerri, Imo State in the eastern part of Nigeria.
Kanu started his career with Iwuanyanwu Nationale in the domestic league before joining Ajax in 1993 after playing 54 matches for Ajax and scoring 25 goals, Papilo as he is fondly called left the Dutch Club to join Inter Milan in 1996.
In February 1999 Kanu joined Arsenal for approximately £4.15 million a move which paid off almost immediately after a mixed three years at Inter Milan.
Kanu won the African Footballer of the Year for the second time in 1999. In the 1999-2000 season, he scored 17 goals in 50 matches for the Gunners, including a hat-trick in fifteen minutes against Chelsea to turn a 2–0 deficit into a 3–2 victory.
Kanu is the first Nigerian player to win the African player of the year award twice in 1996 and 1999.
Papilo made his Super Eagles debut in 1994 in a friendly match against Sweden, he scored 12 goals in 87 appearances for Nigeria before announcing his international retirement in 2010.
Nwankwo Kanu is one of the most Decorated African Players in History, he won the Olympic Gold medal, Uefa Champions League, Uefa Cup, EPL and FA Cup before retiring from active football.
He also played for the Ajax, Inter Milan of Italy, and English clubs Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth.
Happy Birthday To Nwankwo Kanu
