Who's the greatest? Yobo v Keshi
Who is greater - Keshi or Yobo?
Which Nigerian man of the steel comes out on top in this bout as Goal.com continues to dig dip at heroes past and present
The Fenerbahce defence stalwart Joseph Yobo is weighed up against the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winning skipper Stephen Keshi. But Joey or the Big Boss, as they are popularly known by their fans will definitely not be pushed aside when it comes to football greats that have come out of the world’s most popular black nation. The duo are big characters in the centre back position that is one of the most sensitive in the round leather game.
With just 18 years separating this pair, the parallel between these men, one from Kono in Rivers State and the other from Asaba in Delta are unmistakable as they share fascinating similarities.
The defenders announced their arrival on the football map playing for the Nigeria U21 team also known as the Flying Eagles.
In the same vein, both cut their teeth in the Belgian League which helped in refining their raw skills unearthed in Nigeria. However, the biggest highlight of this comparison is that both led the Super Eagles to win the Africa Cup of Nations as fringe playing captains. What makes it more interesting is the fact that they both achieved this feat at age 32.
Such coincidence!
For all that they share in common there is of course one major difference. While Yobo’s undoubted talent is admired due to his consistency for both club and country despite playing as a right back and an attacking midfielder in his international career, his elegance made it look like he found even the toughest of tasks easy.
Keshi, by contrast, is a very popular figure due to his commanding influence on the football pitch, especially on his team-mates, little wonder he was nicknamed “the Big Boss”.
Even at these, the teaser is whether Yobo, who is the most capped player in Nigerian international football history, has since gotten the edge above his hero not in terms of appearance, but also in terms of distinction.
Should Yobo now become the point of allusion when it comes to discussing Nigerian defensive greats?
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