Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has surprised his former grassroots coach, Nduka Ugbade, with a car gift, in a display of gratitude and appreciation for nurturing his talent, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 28-year-old, who recently suffered relegation to the English Championship with former Premier League winners Leicester City at the end of the 2024/2025 season, was filmed sharing a hug with a visibly emotional Ugbade before gifting him a Sport Utility Vehicle.
The gesture, according to Ndidi, was an appreciation for the ex-U-17 head coach who he credits as being instrumental in his career trajectory.
Ugbade, 55, was a member of the Nigerian team that won the inaugural edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in China, then known as the Kodak FIFA U-16 World Tournament, defeating West Germany 2-0 in the final. He went on to feature in all cadres of the national team, playing six matches at the U-17 level, and another six games at the U-20 level, scoring a solitary goal before making five appearances for the Super Eagles.
He transitioned into coaching after officially hanging up his boots in 2003, and he led several domestic outfits. He also had a short stint in charge of Nigeria’s U-17 team nicknamed the Golden Eaglets, where he oversaw four matches at the helm during the AFCON tournament campaign held in Algeria in 2023, in which the country crashed out in the quarter-finals to their Burkina Faso counterparts.
Ndidi, on the other hand, has blossomed into a formidable player both for club and country. Since making the switch from Belgian Jupiler League side Genk to Leicester City in January 2017, he has made 303 appearances for the Foxes, scoring 18 goals and providing an additional 22 assists across all competitions. During the just-concluded 2024/2025 campaign, Ndidi made a total of 30 appearances for Leicester, scoring once in the League Cup and recording five assists, all of which came in the Premier League.
