FIFA to pay injured Eagles goalie, Uzoho €20k

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, will likely be the first Nigerian footballer to benefit from FIFA’s compensatory sum to players. The package is for players injured while on duty with their respective countries during official FIFA windows.

The FC Anorthosis of Cyprus goalkeeper got injured in the friendly match against Brazil last week when he landed awkwardly and ruptured his anterior crucial ligament (ACL). That ended his part in the game and was subsequently replaced by Germany-based Fortuna Düsseldorf goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye.

It became the debut for the Nigerian goalkeeper born in Germany.

The injury has been confirmed by medical experts to confine the goalkeeper to the bench for at least six months.

A check by a Nigerian newspaper, THISDAY gathered that FIFA’s Club Protection Programme will compensate the former Elche of Spain keeper with the sum of €20,548 which is an amount set aside for players who get injured for their country as maximum daily compensation.

The fixed amount is meant for players who would be ruled out for minimum of 28 days. This compensation would apply to Brazilian super star, Neymar Jnr who limped out of the match after just 10 minutes and would be out of action for four weeks.

The money is a fixed salary that the club was to pay to the player for that period and the player must be sidelined for more than 28 days before a claim can be processed.

Uzoho will not be part of the Super Eagles’ opening qualifying matches for AFCON 2021 finals against Republic of Benin at the newly refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin and away to Lesotho next month.

Unfortunately, Uzoho was warming himself back to regain the top man between the sticks suffered a major injury in a match he saved several goal opportunities by the Brazilian side.