By Chimdiogo Amuh 

Super Eagles captain, Wilfred Ndidi, has been thrown into mourning following the death of his father, Sunday Ndidi, who died in a road accident on Tuesday.

According to reports, the retired military officer was involved in a fatal crash in Umunede, Delta State, and was pronounced dead after being rushed to a hospital in Agbor.

Ndidi’s club side, Beşiktaş, confirmed the tragic development in a statement released on Tuesday via their official X handle.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our footballer Wilfred Ndidi’s esteemed father, Sunday Ndidi, in a fatal traffic accident,” the club stated.

“May Allah grant mercy to the deceased; we extend our condolences to our footballer Wilfred Ndidi, his family, and loved ones.”

The loss comes shortly after Ndidi captained Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he also scored his first international goal for the Super Eagles.

While celebrating his headed goal against Tunisia during Nigeria’s second group match, the midfielder paid tribute to his father, drawing inspiration from former Super Eagles captain, Kanu Nwankwo.

“The celebration came from my dad because he was always talking about Kanu Nwankwo,” Ndidi told journalists in Morocco.

“So I just thought about my dad. I had seen the video before, but it came to my head, and I said I was going to do it for my dad.”

Ndidi, who has often spoken about his upbringing in the barracks alongside his father, was born and raised in Lagos.