Super Eagles legend Daniel Amokachi
Amokachi becomes the first and only Nigerian former footballer chosen for the influential global initiative.
Super Eagles legend Daniel Amokachi has been named a United Nations Football for the Goals (FFTG) Champion, using the platform to call for greater global efforts to tackle youth mental health through the power of sport.
Amokachi was unveiled as the first and only Nigerian former footballer selected for the influential global initiative during the high-profile ‘One World, One Game, One Goal: Football for the Goals’ event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The event, organised by the UN Youth Affairs Office, brought together government representatives, policymakers, youth leaders and renowned athletes to explore how sport can promote mental well-being and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Joining Amokachi at the event were FIFA ambassador and Brazil World Cup winner Gilberto Silva, former Chelsea and England women’s international Eniola Aluko MBE, and former NBA player and basketball executive Pop Mensah-Bonsu.
Addressing delegates, the former Super Eagles striker shared his personal battle with mental health following the injury that ended his hopes of playing at the highest level after the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
Amokachi recalled how his ambitions of securing a move to either the English Premier League or Italy’s Serie A were shattered after suffering a serious injury during the tournament.
“Before the World Cup in France, a very good friend of mine and I had planned to end up in Serie A or the Premiership. We had our calculations, but God had His,” Amokachi said.
“I got injured at the World Cup, underwent surgery, and six months later doctors told me I couldn’t play football anymore. That was when mental health challenges hit me.”
The Olympic gold medallist said the difficult experience inspired him to establish the Daniel Amokachi Eduplus Youth Development Foundation, which uses sport to support young people while promoting key UN Sustainable Development Goals, including zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, peace, justice and strong institutions.
Drawing attention to the unique realities facing African communities, Amokachi stressed that mental health interventions should reflect regional differences.
“When it comes to mental health, the context of addressing it in Europe or America is different from the way you tackle it in Africa,” he said.
Reflecting on the work of his foundation, Amokachi emphasised that sport provides an effective platform for supporting young people’s emotional and psychological well-being.
“Experience has shown us that mental health issues cannot only be tackled in classrooms or conference rooms, but also on the football field,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier highlighted youth mental health as one of the most pressing global issues confronting the younger generation.
He said sustainable development would be impossible without prioritising the mental well-being of young people, adding that technology and rapid global change have created new pressures while also offering opportunities for greater connection.
“In every country I have visited, one issue always comes up: mental health. For young people, mental health is about care and connections,” Paullier said.
The event concluded with the official unveiling of the latest Football for the Goals Champions, with Amokachi’s appointment marking another significant international recognition for the former Nigerian international.
The United Nations’ Football for the Goals initiative seeks to mobilise players, clubs, associations and football stakeholders around the world to use the global appeal of the sport to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and promote a more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable future.
