Coach Ndubuisi Egbo has made history as the first Nigerian to win a European league after he led KF Tirana to victory in the 2019/2020 Albania season.
“Tirana is officially declared the champion of Albania after the end of the 34th week,” a Google translation of a post on the club’s website read.
Coach Ndubuisi’s club will also be featuring in the UEFA Champions League as he becomes the first African to ever guide an European club to qualify for the premier club competition in the world for next term following their 25th league title.
The 46-year-old who had 12 appearances for the Super Eagles – between 1999 and 2002 when he was a goalkeeper for KF Tirana – is also believed to be the first African to achieve that feat. KF Tirana who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this month, can also claim a domestic double on August 2, 2020 when they face Teuta Durres in the Domestic Cup final.
The club’s fans are already in celebration following the decade-long wait for the domestic title. Coach Ndubuisi retired from football in 2011 and went into coaching, becoming the goalkeeper coach of Albanian team, Bylis before he rejoined Tirana in 2014 in the same role.
The Nigerian, was, however, promoted as the Head Coach of the Albanian side in 2019 and, has remarkably, led the club to a league triumph in his first season in charge.
As a player Ndubuisi Egbo won an AFCON silver and bronze medal. He also won the Nigerian league.
There is an Ghanaian interest here as skillful midfielder Winful Cobbinah plights his trade with the Albanian side after ending his second stint with Glorious Accra Hearts of Oak.
Tirana are the most successful team in the European country and had reached the last 16 of European competitions four times.
By: Abel Frimps Jr
