International Football

Okorougo, businessman who linked Super Eagles with Nike is dead

Published

1 year ago

June 13, 2022 12:10pm

Kunle Solaja

Chief Noel Okorougo who marketed the Super Eagles to Nike during the USA ‘94 World Cup has died. He was aged 69. He reportedly died in a Geneva hospital in Switzerland after a long fought battle with cancer.

It was through his initiative that Nigeria dropped the adidas kit worn to the USA’94 to team up with the US-based Nike. Nigeria’s dazzling performance at their World Cup debut also helped in facilitating the kit contract with Nike.

The deal saw Nigeria putting on the Nike kit to win the football event of the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics and also to the France ;98 and Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup.

In 2015, Nigeria returned to Nike after a contract with adidas lapsed.

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Kunle Solaja

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Okorougo, businessman who linked Super Eagles with Nike is dead￼

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Okorougo, businessman who linked Super Eagles with Nike is dead