Nigeria star Okoye: Onana the best African goalkeeper

by Staff Reporter

Wednesday Dec 09, 2020. 11:00

Nigeria international Maduka Okoye has lauded Cameroon and Ajax Amsterdam star Andre Onana as the best African goalkeeper at the moment.

Okoye is currently Nigeria’s first-choice keeper having started the Super Eagles’ two 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Sierra Leone last month.

The 21-year-old, who plays for Dutch Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam, opened up about his favourite goalkeepers when speaking to Voetball Rotterdam.

Asked who was his idol growing up, Okoye said: “Nelson Dida [Brazil] was my idol, for me he was the greatest, I love his style but nowadays it is Marc-André ter Stegen [Germany].”

Onana was one of Ajax’s key players as the Dutch giants reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals during the 2018/19 season.

Okoye also praised Senegal’s first-choice keeper Edouard Mendy, who has been in top form for Chelsea in the English Premier League this term.

“André Onana is also a great goalkeeper, I love to watch him. Definitely, he’s the best African goalkeeper at the moment,” he said.

“The second one is Mendy from Chelsea.”

Okoye was also asked to pick between legendary Nigerian keepers Vincent Enyeama and Peter Rufai, who both had successful spells as Super Eagles shot-stoppers.

“I have definitely watched more of Enyeama because he’s more of my generation, I go with Enyeama,” he said.

“For me he is definitely the greatest Nigerian goalkeeper ever and also one of the best to play in the French League.

“Of course I know Peter Rufai but not as a person, I think he was the first Nigerian goalkeeper to play in the Netherlands with Go Ahead Eagles but I know more of Enyeama.”