Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye has sparked controversy after declaring that footballers who end up broke after retirement “deserve jail time.”
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, who recently announced his retirement from international football, took to his official X account to stress the importance of financial discipline for players.
“Footballers, start saving for your future from day one. No matter how small your salary is, put something aside for your retirement,” Ideye advised, urging players to treat their earnings as a lifetime’s salary concentrated into just a few years.
He further emphasized the need for a strong support system, adding that athletes must pray for good people and reliable partners to help them navigate life after football.
The comments came during an online debate about the financial struggles of retired players. Responding to a follower who argued that professionals in Europe had no excuse not to secure their futures, Ideye wrote: “They should be jailed for life if, after they retired from playing, they can’t feed themselves.”
The discussion was triggered by ex-Inter Milan defender Taribo West’s emotional outburst at the funeral of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai on Friday. West slammed both the Nigeria Football Federation and the Lagos State Government for allegedly neglecting former football heroes and their families.
“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit within our groups to ask for money? That is madness,” West said in a video shared by News Central.
He also recalled similar struggles faced by the families of late Nigerian icons Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha.
The debate has since dominated social media, with many fans divided — some backing West’s claims of institutional neglect, while others echoed Ideye’s stance that players, especially those with lucrative European careers, have no excuse for financial hardship after retirement.
