Makinwa Call It Quit With Soccer

Former Nigeria international Stephen Makinwa has announced his retirement from the game that brought him fame and fortune, according to Sam O’Femi Olusetire, a journalist with Sports Day who is very close to the player.


Now 31, the FC Ebedei product last turned out for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Gorica, for whom he netted 2 goals across all tournaments, including his strike in the Super Cup against Maribor last August.

“I am happy with all that God has done for me in football. It has been an eventful career for me, but I can’t go on forever.

“I stopped playing football on March 31. Now I’m thinking of something outside active football, like management, television analysis or scouting, but definitely not coaching,” Makinwa told the newspaper based in Ikeja.

Apart from a brief spell on loan at Larissa in Greece during the 2010 - 2011 season, Stephen Makinwa spent a large part of his career in Italy before his switch to China two years ago.

He enjoyed relative success with Genoa, Atalanta and Palermo which led to his transfer to two - time Serie A champions Lazio in 2006.