Indeed this was the man that gave Nigeria its most iconic football moment in the last 30 years. His brace against Brazil in the semifinal of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta remains will never leave the memory of Nigerians.

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He conquered a heart problem which threatened to end his promising career and bounced back to win more trophies.

From the Champions League to Premier League and FA Cup titles, Kanu won it all.

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While he has since retired, Kanu has continued to impact the lives of Nigeria through football and other important issues.

After Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Iceland at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, he shared a clip of himself giving motivational talks to each player before the game.

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That’s how much the country still means to him.

He also continues to impact lives through his which he set up to help children with heart problems after he survived his own ordeal.

17 years after the founding of the foundation, it has assisted 538 heart operations in England, India, Nigeria and Israel.

After hanging his boot, Kanu is now chasing more important trophies, saving lives and helping to preserve dreams.

These are the reasons we regard him as the greatest. He warmed our hearts with football, now he has won our love with his big heart.

Happy birthday legend