Emmanuel Adebayor is one of the greatest player to emerge from Africa, but the Togolese is behind Kanu Nwankwo in the pecking order, according to former Super Eagles LB Ifeanyi Udeze.
Adebayor, who was voted African Player of the Year in 2008, followed in the path of Kanu – his role model.
He played 87 times for his country and scored 32 goals and guided Togo to the World Cup in 2006.
Emmanuel Adebayor was one of the best in his generation and the Country’s biggest star, but Udeze argues his skills though similar were not quite as exquisite.
‘He modelled his game after and even followed his path; joining Arsenal and even picked the same Jersey number, but he was not as exceptional as Kanu,’ Udeze said on Brila FM’s breakfast show ‘Sports Machine’.
‘Kanu ranks high up there for his skills; he was so good with the ball at his feet and had abilities only a few would dream or could match.’
‘No doubt, Adebayor was equally talented and will earn a deserved spot in the top 20 best African players, but he was just not at par with peak Kanu.’
Kanu Nwankwo, a two-time CAF POTY, earned 86 caps playing for Nigeria and scored 19 goals, he earned his biggest moment with Nigeria at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atalanta when he inspired the team to a gold medal.
It was the first time any African nation had won a major football tournament.
