Many wish to know who Finidi George‘s wife is, the ex-Nigeria international who made a good name for himself as a right winger for Ajax, Real Betis, and the Super Eagles.
It is a popular saying that behind every successful man, there is a woman. This holds true for Finidi George who after retiring from the beautiful game, has remained significant in the sport as manager of Nigeria's senior football team.
But before we delve into revealing who his wife is, first discover his managerial journey from Spain and back to the shores of Nigeria.
Finidi George's managerial career
Born on 15 April 1971 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Finidi George’s rise from the streets of Port Harcourt to the very top of world football is quite remarkable.
Join us as we shed light into the managerial journey of this legendary Nigerian football icon who has gone a step further than his peers by becoming a Super Eagles coach.
Mallorca Youth team
After retiring from professional football in the summer of 2004, Finidi George set out to improve himself in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a coach.
After George obtained his coaching licence, his managerial career started in 2013 with the Mallorca Youth team where he honed his skills and at the same time explored opportunities elsewhere which never came until 2021.
Enyimba FC
After applying to coach Nigeria's U-17 side twice and failing to make the cut, in September of 2021, Finidi George was appointed as the head coach of Enyimba F.C, Nigeria's most successful football club.
In his second season with the People's Elephant, George led Enyimba to their ninth Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title in the playoffs held in June, 2023 at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.
As a manager, George won his first trophy and was poised to guide the Aba side to back-to-back NPFL success before his appointment as Super Eagles coach came.
Nigeria's Super Eagles
Finidi George first served as Super Eagles assistant coach under Jose Peseiro for 20 months. In that timeframe, Nigeria got to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
However, after Peseiro's contract expired in February, 2024, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appointed George as coach of the Super Eagles on interim bases.
With the former Real Betis player acting as interim coach, the Super Eagles managerial position continued to remain vacant for months with several applicants jostling to take over the position.
But apart from a couple of ex-internationals like Finidi George, Emmanuel Amunike and Emmanuel Agbo who threw their hats in the ring for the position, quite a number of foreign coaches also indicated interest in managing the Super Eagles.
Nonetheless, after months of speculation and drama, the country's football governing body, the NFF, finally settled for Finidi George–who at the time was managing Enyimba–as the head coach of the Super Eagles in late April. And on 13 May 2024, he was officially unveiled.
NFF unveils Finidi George as the new coach of Super Eagles.
The new regime begins. 🔥🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/AsSTsIoXhq
— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) May 13, 2024
The announcement of Finidi George raised various reactions with many throwing their support for him and asserting that the former Ajax star deserved the appointment more than the others.
Nigeria is presently ranked 30th in the world and third in Africa only behind Morocco and Senegal. The appointment of George has raised the hopes of many Nigerians who are expecting the Super Eagles to mark a stunning era under their new coach.
Even though Nigeria–under Peseiro–went all the way to the finals of the last AFCON in Ivory Coast, the team is yet to regain the full confidence of many Nigerians who over the years have endured watching mediocre displays from the country’s senior team.
The first task in George's reign as coach of the Super Eagles will be to qualify Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an important task especially after the team failed to appear in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Who is Finidi George's wife?
The identity of Finidi George's wife is shrouded in mystery even though this has continued to generate interest from many of his fans both in Nigeria and the outside world.
As of 2024, the name of Finidi George's wife remains hidden from public knowledge because the Super Eagles coach happens to share little or nothing about his private life. But we do know that he has a wife and a son.
George revealed that he has a son after facing criticism during an international friendly fixture between Nigeria and Portugal in late 2022. He was bashed on social media for supposedly jostling for Pepe’s jersey with Moses Simon.
However, the 1994 AFCON winner with Nigeria revealed that the incident was hugely misinterpreted and that he is beyond being star-struck and fighting for jerseys for his personal use.
At the time, George explained that the request for Pepe’s jersey was not for himself but for his son who is a big fan of the former Real Madrid defender and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Frequently Asked Questions about Finidi George
What is Finidi George salary as Super Eagles coach? As head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Finidi George's salary is ₦15 million monthly.
How old is Finidi George? As of 2024, Finidi George is 53 years old.
What is Finidi George's state of origin? George's state of origin is Bayelsa State in South-South Nigeria.
Which clubs did Finidi George played for? Finidi George played for the now defunct Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, Ajax, Real Betis, Ipswich Town, and Mallorca.
Which year did Finidi George win the Champions League? Finidi George won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995.
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 months ago
