Emmanuel Amuneke is a former Super Eagles winger/forward and cirrent coach of Nigeria Premier Football League side Heartland football club of Owerri. He had a decorated career as he was part of the Super Eagles team that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. Amunike scored twice in the final against the Chipolopolo of Zambia to give Nigeria its second title on the continent.
In addition, Amuneke made the squad for the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, where Nigeria became the first African team to win an Olympic gold medal in the football event. Emmanuel Amuneke also scored the winning goal as Nigeria beat Argentina 3-2 to make history.
The winger had stints with a couple of top European clubs, including Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon, during his career. He played predominantly from the left side of attack or as a support striker. Amunike was known for his speed, trickery with the ball, and composure in front of goal.
The 54-year-old holds a UEFA Pro license and has done quite well in his coaching career. He led the Golden Eaglets to the 2015 Under-17 World Cup success in Chile. Amuneke coached Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, and Kelechi Nwakali, among others, at the tournament.
This post examines Emmanuel Amunike’s background, career, achievements, net worth. family among other valuable information about the former Super Eagles forward.
Emmanuel Amuneke Background
The former Super forward is an Ibo man from Owerri, the capital city of Imo State in the southeast region of Nigeria. He was born on Christmas Day, December 25th, 1970, in Eziobodo, Owerri West Local Government Area. Emmanuel Amunike grew up with two brothers, Kevin Amuneke and Kingsley Amuneke, who played football professionally in Sweden, Portugal, and other countries in Europe for several years.
How old is Amuneke?
Emmanuel Amunike is 54 years old as of 2025. He celebrates his birthday on December 25 every year.
Emmanuel Amuneke Career
Amunike started his career at local football league sides Concord and Julius Berger in the early 1990s before moving to Egypt to join Zamalek. He had quite a successful stint at the club as he bagged 26 goals in 71 league matches in three years at the club. Amunike won the Egyptian Premier League twice, the African Cup of Champions, and the Super Cup.
Emmanuel Amunike moved to Sporting Lisbon after a successful spell at Zamalek in 1994. He spent two years in the Portuguese capital and won two trophies with the club before joining Barcelona two years later for a fee in the region of 3.6 million dollars.
Unfortunately. His time with the Catalan Giants was marred with injuries and hisform deteriorated afterwards. He was released in 2000 and moved to Albacete in the second tier of Spanish football. Amunike went on to play for Busan I’con, Al-Wehdat, and Al-Najma before he hung up his boots at the age of 33.
Amunike spent the best of his active days at Zamalek and Sporting Lisbon, where he scored a handful of goals and one several trophies.
Super Eagles and Dream Team Heroics
Emmanuel Amuneke started playing for the Super Eagles of Nigeria in 1993 and made Clemens Westerhof’s squad for the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. Amunike scored a brace in the final against Zambia in the 2-1 win to give Nigeria its second continental success.
At the Summer Olympics in 1996, Emmanuel Amunike scored the winning goal as the “Dream Team” came back twice to beat Argentina 3-2 in the gold medal match of the men’s football event at the Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia.
Injury kept Amuinike out of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but he returned to help the Super Eagles finish second at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana. Nigeria lost on penalties to Cameroon in front of a mammoth crowd at the National Stadium in Lagos.
Coaching Career
Emmanuel Amuneke settled in Spain with his Spanish wife, Fatima, after his football career. He took coaching coaches while in the country and coached a youth team, Reocin, in the Cantabria region of Spain, where he lived with his wife. He went on to serve as assistant coach at Al-Hamz in the Saudi Pro League.
Amunike returned to Nigeria and took up the coaching role at his former club, Julius Berger, for a year before moving to Ocean Boys, where he spent two years. Emmanuel was appointed coach of the national under-17 side, the Golden Eaglets, in 2014 and led the team to glory at the 2015 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile.
Amunike’s biggest highlight yet as a coach was when he qualified Tanzania for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after 39 years. Tanzania finished second with eight points in Group L behind Uganda as they secured one of the two automatic spots for the tournament.
Emmanuel Amuneke Bitter End as Tanzania’s coach
Unfortunately, his time as head coach of Tanzania came to an end after the tournament as the East African nation failed to win a point at the tournament. Tanzania finished last in the group that included Algeria, Kenya, and Senegal.
Emmanuel Amunike has served as Super Eagles assistant coach and has been touted to take up the head coach position in the future.
Misr Lei Makkasa, Zanaco and Heartland
The 54-year-old was appointed coach of Misr Lei Makkasa in the Egyptian Premier League in 2020 but was later reappointed as the club’s director of academy. He also served as coach and consultant for Zambian Super League side Zanaco before taking up the job at his hometown.
Emmanuel Amuneke was appointed coach of Heartland football club in 2024. After initial struggles, Heartland went on a decent run as they stayed clear of the drop zone. However, the club is at the risk of relegation as they occupy the seventeenth spot on the Nigeria Premier Football League table with 38 points from 32 matches.
Emmanuel Amuneke Career Achievements
The former Super Eagles forward has a well-decorated football career. He became the second Nigerian to win the coveted African Footballer of the Year prize after his late teammate Rashidi Yekini. Amunike beat George Weah and his former teammate Daniel Amokachi to the award. He also won the Africa Cup of Nations and an Olympic gold medal.
Julius Berger
- Nigerian Professional Football League: 1991
Zamalek
- Egyptian Premier League: 1991–92, 1992–93
- African Cup of Champions Clubs: 1993
- CAF Super Cup: 1994
Sporting CP
- Taça de Portugal: 1994–95
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1995
Barcelona
- Copa del Rey: 1996–97
Nigeria
- Africa Cup of Nations: 1994; runner-up: 2000
- Olympic Games: 1996
Individual
- African Footballer of the Year: 1994
- BBC African Footballer of the Year: 1996
Manager
Nigeria U17
- FIFA U-17 World Cup: 2015
Net Worth
What is Emmanuel Amuneke’s net worth? The former winger made a decent amount of money during his active days as a footballer. He played for a good number of clubs, including Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon, and Zamalek, among others. Amunike has coached a couple of clubs and served as a consultant as well. Emmanuel Amunike’s net worth is pegged at $4 million.
Amuneke’s wife and children
Emmanuel Amunike is married and has two sons, Joseph and Matthew, who were born in Cantabria, Spain.
Social Media
Emmanuel Amuneke is on Instagram and has over 7000 followers on his page
