True to his dream, within a short period of time he was playing for the national team and represented Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup.
He was the youngest footballer ever to play at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he also played against David Beckham.
The player had a stint with Grasshoppers Zurich and Hapoel Be’er Sheva in Israel after which he came back to Shooting Stars to play when the eye problem got worse.
Opabunmi was the third youngest player to play at the FIFA senior World Cup. He was the player who scored the winning goal when Nigeria won the U-17 Championship in 2011.
He scored a hat-trick in 2001 at the U-17 FIFA World Cup. Amongst his honours were the Silver Shoe and Bronze awarded to him at the same tournament as the second highest goal scorer in the tournament.
He scored a goal for the Super Eagles in 2002, and he was a FIFA 2002 senior World Cup player in which he later played against England. Unfortunately, he was overlooked after the World Cup.
Eye problem
Opabunmi never anticipated any problems during his blossoming career: his eyes did not give him any hint of blindness. Everything was working well and he seemed to have a perfect life.
All he knew was football and how to get better. Then he woke up one morning to a sharp pain in his left eye. He ignored it and continued training thinking it was a one-off thing. Instead it was the beginning of the end of a great career.
“I just noticed the sharp pain and never saw it as a big deal. I started suspecting all was not well when the pain won’t go away.”
“I couldn’t take care of myself in France, I operated my eyes twice in Paris and the Doctor said my case is complicated.”
After a two unsuccessful attempts at surgery in Europe, he left for Ibadan to seek spiritual help from pastors and imams as he suspected that he had been bewitched.
Challenges
Living with one eye became the norm for the player who knew nothing all his life except football. It was a tough time for him. Some of his associates mocked him and called him names. He was a topic of discussion in football circles in Ibadan.
“I faced a lot of challenges, as I am talking to you now. I only see with an eye, so it is a great challenge but we have to give glory to God,”.
Life has not been easy for Femi Opabunmi who was the cynosure of all eyes having played alongside the likes of David Beckham and John Obiora.
He spent all his hard-earned money on medical treatment and gave money to spiritual homes in his quest to regain his sight and get well so that he could resume his football career. Despite that nothing changed and the pain would not go away.
Family and love life
It is commonplace that footballers attract women because of their fame and wealth. They make so much money that it is usually enough to go around all the women circling them.
Opabunmi fell prey to women who wanted to have a share of his wealth.
“In the life of footballer, a lot of women come closer to you. I saw a lot of them during my career; they never stopped coming,”
Helpers
To his disappointment, few of his ex-colleagues rallied round him to give him support. He reached out to many but they turned deaf ears to him. Some of them even labelled him a beggar.
However, Osaze Odemwingie, Seyi Olofinjana and a former sports commissioner in Oyo state,Nigeria are some of those who helped him.
“Osaze Odemwingie may his days be long and Seyi Olofinjana they will never lack, they will never see sorrow. Osaze is always there for me even last year always there for me. I will never forget him in my life.”
Culled from Naij.com
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