Aftermath of AFCON 2025: Amuneke Praises Rising Standard of African Football as ASEF Honours Him in Owerri
By Kelechi Ugo
Members of the Association of Ex-Footballers and Friends (ASEF) on Saturday, January 24, 2026, celebrated former Super Eagles star and Technical Manager of Heartland Football Club, Owerri, Coach Emmanuel Amuneke, MFR, in a colourful ceremony held at the ASEF Hall, Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, Imo State.
The event, organised to mark Amuneke’s birthday, which fell on December 25, 2025, attracted a large gathering of ASEF members, football administrators, fans and admirers of the legendary winger, whose exploits brought pride to Nigerian and African football.
The stadium premises were adorned with banners congratulating the football icon, including a prominent one that read:
“Happy Birthday, Emmanuel Amuneke, MFR.
The entire ASEF family celebrates a true legend, leader and inspiration.
Your dedication to football development and passion for excellence continue to impact lives across generations.
We wish you long life, sound health and prosperity in all your endeavours.”
— Comrade Okereke Ikechukwu, JP, President, ASEF.
Speaking to journalists at the event, Amuneke expressed profound gratitude to ASEF, its leadership and members for the honour, describing the celebration as a rare show of love and humanity.
“My birthday was on December 25, but I travelled to Spain around that period, which influenced ASEF’s decision to hold the celebration today,” he explained. “What started as a casual discussion eventually became a reality. It was not planned, but the love and honour shown to me mean everything.”
He added that he remains deeply appreciative of the people of Imo State and Nigerians at large, noting that many well-wishers had continued to call and send messages in solidarity.
Reflecting on the just-concluded 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Coach Amuneke described the tournament as highly competitive and exciting, commending the steady improvement in the quality of African football.
According to him, while the 2023 edition hosted by Côte d’Ivoire set a strong benchmark, the Morocco 2026 tournament further demonstrated the continent’s growing football maturity.
“The standard keeps improving,” he said. “African players are developing rapidly and aspiring to compete at the highest levels seen in Europe. The joy is that our players can now skillfully compete at the top.”
The former African Footballer of the Year also expressed optimism about the future of the tournament, predicting that the 2028 AFCON, to be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, would be exceptional.
