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Former Nigerian Footballer Michael Eneramo Dies at 40

Published 24 April 2026

Michael Eneramo, a former forward for Nigeria's national football team, died on Friday at age 40 after collapsing during a local football activity in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed the death, which occurred in the Ungwan Yelwa area where Eneramo had been participating in a casual match or training session.

Witnesses reported that Eneramo, who had retired from professional play in 2018, completed the first half of the session without issue before slumping to the ground about five minutes into the second half. There was no physical contact involved, and immediate efforts by those present to revive him failed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Officials attributed the incident to a sudden cardiac event, though a full medical report has not been released.

Eneramo, born in Kaduna on November 26, 1985, began his career with Lobi Stars in Makurdi, Nigeria, before gaining prominence abroad. He spent significant time with Espérance Sportive de Tunis, scoring 51 goals in 86 appearances across two stints from 2005 to 2011 and 2017 to 2018. During that period, he helped the club win multiple Tunisian Ligue 1 titles, the...

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