Last update 19 November, 2022 por Alberto Llopis
Emmanuel Amunike was one of those players who left a mark on the Spanish League even if it was for the game that led to his signing by one of the colossi of world football. Despite being considered one of best african players from that moment, Upon arrival at Barca proved controversial and was not without humor and joke.
Emmanuel Amunike, one of the worst signings in the history of Barcelona
Amuneke (later called Amunike), He was born on Christmas 1970, a Nigeria. He was Olympic champion, scoring even a real goal against Argentina in the Atlanta Olympics 96. Antes, had played the World Cup in USA 94, year that also had been named African Player. Sporting Lisbon came, where he had signed good performances.
Therefore, when the club paid for him a 4 million dollars of the time, They seemed more than justified because it gave the impression he was done with a great player. But no such luck. And the day of submission, When asked by the technical qualities of Barcelona Player, they responded that what most stood out from him, era “Throw your”.
The comment, the subject of many jokes, He gave rise to the legend of Amunike. The Nigerian did not play much as a culé in this period. He spent three seasons with more pain than glory. Everyone was talking about him but and the jokes outweighed the praise. And luckily there were no memes. He played twenty games in all those seasons and scored a goal, If you were injured well for nearly two years and no longer played with Barcelona until a match of the Copa Catalunya.
His career started to go downhill
Después, they sent him to Albacete where he continued his downhill without brakes, he went to try his luck in Korea and ended his career in Jordan, where he retired in 2004. Yes ok, sure those parts, made clear his excellent ability for the not inconsiderable art of the throw-in.
After closing his career, Emmanuel Amunike took advantage of his charisma to appear in the announcement of the Renault Kangoo that they would also announce two other peculiar players of Spanish football as Robert Prosinecki o Adolfo “The train” Valencia. Behind this, He moved to live in the Cantabrian area with his wife, where he was coaching a local team, to coaching because according to our hero “the mayor recognized me and asked me to coach the team”, since today, know if still exercises.
A peculiar thing, even more so our protagonist, when asked the person responsible for the creation of the Renault ad about the choice of the Nigerian, he replied that they had made a brainstorming session to find players who for one reason or another, would have attracted more attention for non-sporting reasons than for their performance on the field and commented that Amunike, He was out the first list. Por desgracia, it remained as one of the worst signings in the history of Barcelona.