The pitch. That’s what the average player calls the playing surface. Nwankwo Kanu called it his kingdom. King Kanu had all the qualities of a great ruler—wisdom, foresight, flexibility, tact, strength.
He was majestic on the ball, floating away from challenges, feinting defenders into oblivion, and finding teammates through the eye of a needle. He presided over an incredibly talented Ajax side, reading the game and dictating play as centre forward with noble technique and regal vision. His career was accompanied by honours fitting of royalty—an invincible Premier League title, a UEFA Champions League trophy with Ajax, and a gold medal for his home nation of Nigeria. It’s one thing to be an Ultimate Team Hero. It’s another to be a king. Kanu was both. |
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