Ex-Super Eagle Star, Brown Ideye Denies Saying ‘Broke Retired Footballers Should Be Jailed’

Former Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye has clarified comments that sparked outrage after he appeared to suggest broke retired footballers should be jailed.

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, who recently announced his retirement from international duty, had joined a debate on X about poor financial planning among Nigerian players.

His remarks came after former defender Taribo West lamented the plight of ex-footballers at the burial of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai, blaming both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for neglecting past heroes.

Reacting to the online debate, Brown Ideye advised active players to begin saving as soon as they start earning, no matter how little.

He also encouraged them to pray for the right people around them, especially supportive partners, to help them transition smoothly after football.

“Footballers, start saving for your future from day one. No matter how small your salary is, put something aside for your retirement,” Ideye wrote.

However, when a follower engaged him further, Ideye responded by saying, “They (players) should be jailed for life if, after they retired from playing, they can’t feed themselves.”

Reacting to the backlash trailing his comment, Ideye issued a statement distancing himself from the way the remarks were reported.

The former Super Eagles star stressed that his message was about encouraging financial discipline and supporting athletes, not criminalizing them.

He wrote: “Setting the Record Straight

“My attention has been drawn to recent media article by several news outlets falsely attributing comments to me about retired footballers who end up broke needing to be jailed.

“Let me be clear: These statements are completely false and misrepresent my views.

“As a former professional player myself who come from humble beginners, i’ve always believed in support for active/former football players and athletes in general, recognizing the unique challenges they face during their active days and post-career.

“I would never suggest punitive action towards anyone who struggles financially or otherwise. Instead, I advocate for focus to be on offering all necessary support, resources, trainings and mentorship programmes to help players/athletes navigate the transition from sports to life after the game.

“It’s important to approach these conversations with empathy and solutions, not condemnation.

“This article is misleading of my person and character and I strongly condemn it. I urge the public to disregard it and ask for the media to desist from false claims and publications as such stories only bring disrepute and sow seeds of discord. #SupportNotCondemation.”

This comes after former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for allegedly abandoning the family of late goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.