Former Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye, has urged footballers to take financial planning seriously, warning that those who end up broke after retirement have only themselves to blame.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, who recently bowed out of international football, said players must treat their wages as a lifetime’s salary earned in just a short playing career.
According to him, failure to prepare for life after football could lead to unnecessary hardship.
In a post on his official X handle, Ideye wrote: “Footballers, start saving for your future from day one. No matter how small your salary is, put something aside for your retirement.”
The former West Bromwich Albion forward, who also played in Greece, Switzerland, and China, stressed that money management was just one part of the equation. He advised players to surround themselves with the right people and choose supportive partners who could guide them through retirement.
He said, “You also need to pray for a good support system. Having the right people and a reliable partner after your career ends is very important.”
Ideye’s comments came in response to a heated online debate about footballers who fail to invest wisely despite earning fortunes, especially those who played in Europe. A fan had argued that players had no excuse to fall into poverty after football, given the opportunities available to them abroad.
Reacting, Ideye stirred controversy with a reply: “They should be jailed for life if, after they retired from playing, they can’t feed themselves.”
The remark has since sparked both agreement and criticism among fans.
The conversation was fuelled by an emotional outburst from former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, during the burial of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai.
West berated both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Lagos State Government, and the Federal Government for failing to support the family of the former shot-stopper.
According to West, it was disgraceful that the family of a celebrated football hero had to rely on donations from colleagues to cover expenses. He recalled similar experiences with the families of Nigerian football legends Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha, who all died without sufficient welfare support.
“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit within our groups to ask for money? That is madness,” West said in a video shared by News Central.
His comments reopened the long-running debate about the financial challenges facing Nigerian footballers after retirement.
While some argue that the system fails to provide adequate welfare for past heroes, others insist that many ex-internationals squandered opportunities to secure their future.
