AFCON 2025
Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has revealed the hilarious story behind former Leicester City teammate Jamie Vardy’s long-held belief that a healing cream used at the club came from a Nigerian witch doctor.
Speaking in a video shared on his official Instagram account, Ndidi explained that the mysterious cream was, in fact, nothing more than natural shea butter that he regularly brought back from Nigeria.
The Nigerian midfielder said the joke started whenever curious teammates asked about the cream.
“We used to tell them it came from a Nigerian witch doctor,” Ndidi said with a laugh.
According to the 29-year-old, Leicester City’s masseuses frequently used the shea butter during treatment sessions to massage sore muscles and aid players’ recovery.
However, when they suggested using it on Vardy, the former England striker was hesitant after hearing the fabricated story behind the product.
Ndidi recalled that he and his teammates jokingly told Vardy the shea butter had been sourced from a Nigerian witch doctor.
The veteran forward quickly declined the offer.
“No, no, no, I’m okay,” Ndidi remembered Vardy saying, before bursting into laughter.
The amusing anecdote has since sparked laughter among football fans on social media, with many applauding the strong friendship and dressing-room chemistry shared by the former Leicester City teammates.
Others joked about the reputation of Nigerian “juju” in popular culture, while many Nigerians playfully embraced the story as another example of the country’s rich folklore finding its way into football conversations.
Although the story was shared entirely in jest, Ndidi’s recollection has given supporters another entertaining insight into the light-hearted atmosphere that existed among Leicester City’s players during their time together.
