Nigerian football has been thrown into fresh mourning following the death of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, mother of Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze, in the early hours of Thursday, January 29, 2026.
The sad news was confirmed by members of the Chukwueze family, with Samuel’s sister, Princess Chukwueze, and his brother, David, announcing her passing via social media on Thursday morning. According to the family, Mrs Chukwueze died after a brief illness.
Her death comes at a painful time for Nigerian football, barely weeks after the passing of the father of Super Eagles captain, Wilfred Ndidi, deepening the sense of loss within the national team and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
Reacting to the development, the General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, described the late Mrs Chukwueze as a strong pillar behind the success of her children, particularly the AC Milan forward, who has often spoken publicly about his mother’s influence on his football journey.
Dr Sanusi said the federation was deeply saddened by the loss, noting that Samuel Chukwueze had never hidden the role his mother played in shaping his discipline, resilience and rise to international football.
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He added that the federation shared in the grief of the Chukwueze family and prayed for strength and comfort for Samuel and his siblings in this difficult period.
“We are pained by her passing, especially coming so soon after another painful loss in the Super Eagles family. We pray that God grants her eternal rest and gives the family the fortitude to bear this great loss,” Sanusi said.
Samuel Chukwueze, one of Nigeria’s most recognisable football exports in Europe, has yet to make a public statement on his mother’s death, but messages of condolence have continued to pour in from fans, teammates and football stakeholders across Nigeria and beyond.
Mrs Sarah Chukwueze is remembered as a devoted mother whose quiet sacrifices laid the foundation for the success of her children, including one of Nigeria’s brightest football stars.
