At the Nigeria Amputee Football Federation Kick for Love 2025, held on February 14 at the Sam Shonibare Playground, player Daniel Ahize Tochukwu shared his experiences and insights in an exclusive interview with Sports247.
Reflecting on his participation, Tochukwu told Sport247 that he was a part of last year’s event.
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Discussing the differences between the events, he explained, “The number one difference is that the field is bigger than the previous ones. And secondly, we have different sponsors. And thirdly, it’s crowded and many spectators came to watch us.” He pointed out the impact these changes have on the atmosphere and exposure of the event.
When asked about his overall journey in international tournaments, Tochukwu stated, “Actually, by the special grace of God, I’ve followed the team to many tournaments. I’ve gone to Tanzania and many nations, and I went to Egypt last year. And this year, again, by God’s special grace, we hope to play this game professionally abroad.
Maybe in Turkey, or Poland, or any country while we are preparing for the World Cup, the upcoming World Cup coming up next year. But this year, we are playing many tournaments within ourselves and Africa. So, everything is in God’s hands.”
On his short-term personal goals, he added, “My short-term projection is to just keep on improving. Keep on learning. Because every day, I have to learn. I have to learn more. The game develops every day. So, I have to make myself a complete and perfect and good player. To just increase, to keep up my fitness, my techniques, all my abilities. To keep them up 100%. So, I’ll be prepared for what’s inside or outside of me.”
When asked about his biggest role models, Tochukwu shared, “Actually, my teammates nickname me Little Messi. But my role model, actually, is Drogba. Didier Drogba and Ronaldo. But I’m a left-footer, and I dribble and play like Messi. So, my teammates call me Messi. So, I have to bear the name Messi.”
Through his words, Tochukwu reflects the passion and determination that drive Nigeria’s athletes forward, inspiring future generations to pursue excellence on both national and international stages.
