Ex-Super Eagles coach Bonfrere says Nigeria owes him Olympic gold reward after 30 years

Former Super Eagles coach Jo Bonfrere has revealed that he is yet to receive his promised reward, 30 years after guiding Nigeria to gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

According to Daily Trust, the 80-year-old Dutch tactician made the disclosure during an interview with CreativeLordTV in Ebonyi State on October 10, 2026.

Bonfrere claimed he had neither received his promised reward nor retained his Olympic gold medal.

“I have never seen the gold. That’s the problem, so I don’t know how it looks. I don’t know how the gold medal looks because I have never received it,” he said.

His interpreter added: “Every player has received, even the reward, every player and official. So after 30 years, I have never received my reward.”

Bonfrere also alleged that a government minister pressured him to select certain players, but he resisted.

Nigeria defeated Argentina 3-2 in the Olympic final, becoming Africa’s first men’s football gold medallist.

His claims about the outstanding reward remain unverified.