Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali temporarily stepped away from football to focus on his mental well-being following the devastating loss of his grandmother, father and mother within a two-month period, his representative, Mohammed Lawal, has disclosed.
Lawal said the South Africa-based shot-stopper endured one of the most difficult periods of his life, with the emotional trauma significantly affecting both his personal life and performances on the pitch.
According to him, the grief altered Nwabali’s usual calm and cheerful personality, leading many fans to misunderstand his behaviour during Nigeria’s recent international matches.
“It has been very difficult for Stanley,” Lawal said.
“If you look back, you’ll notice the difference. Stanley used to be lively and always smiling. During the last Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup qualifiers, he became unusually aggressive.
“He was shouting at teammates and confronting opponents, but that wasn’t the real Stanley.”
Lawal explained that many supporters interpreted the goalkeeper’s conduct as arrogance or overconfidence, unaware that he was struggling with immense personal loss.
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“When he first started playing for Nigeria, everyone admired how calm he was under pressure. Later, people thought he had become overconfident or aggressive. They didn’t know what he was going through internally,” he added.
Nwabali has been one of Nigeria’s standout performers since emerging as the Super Eagles’ first-choice goalkeeper, earning widespread praise for his displays at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he played a key role in Nigeria’s run to the final.
His representative expressed hope that the goalkeeper has now begun recovering emotionally and is ready to refocus on his career.
