What happens to football legends when their international careers end? For Nosike Ogbuenyi, the answer could lie in a new FIFA competition that gives retired stars another opportunity to play before a global audience, earn from their sporting reputation and remain active in the game they helped shape.
The former spokesperson of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has proposed an Over-40 World Cup for retired international footballers aged between 40 and 65, an initiative he believes could extend the playing careers of some of the sport’s most recognisable names beyond their established retirement years.
Ogbuenyi submitted the proposal to FIFA through the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) secretariat in Abuja on Thursday. His plan would create a separate international competition for former senior national-team players, giving supporters another chance to watch footballers whose performances have earned them lasting recognition.
The proposed age category could bring together Nigerian stars such as Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amunike, Obafemi Martins, Vincent Enyeama and John Obi Mikel. Their international careers have connected them with different generations of Nigerian football supporters, and Ogbuenyi believes a dedicated tournament could renew that connection on the pitch.
The potential field would also extend to some of the biggest names in world football. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria, David Beckham, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo de Lima, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Zinedine Zidane are among the players he identified as possible attractions for fans who would welcome the opportunity to see former greats compete again.
Beyond the prospect of familiar names returning to action, Ogbuenyi sees the competition as a means of giving retired footballers a continuing role in the sport. He argues that participation would encourage them to maintain their physical fitness, provide an additional source of income and keep them in the public eye after leaving senior international football.
The tournament could also create a direct connection between experienced former internationals and younger players. According to Ogbuenyi, retired stars would have opportunities to contribute to the development of emerging talent and football in their respective countries, drawing on the experience they accumulated during their playing careers.
He has further argued that establishing a recognised competition for players over 40 could help discourage age cheating in youth and senior football. With an organised category available to older players, he believes, there would be another legitimate route for them to continue competing after reaching the age threshold.
Ogbuenyi has proposed two principal eligibility conditions. Players must have represented their countries at senior international level, and they must retire from senior international football before representing their nations in the Over-40 category. The proposed competition would therefore be reserved for former senior internationals rather than opened to all players within the specified age range.
Commercial viability is another consideration behind the proposal. Ogbuenyi believes television broadcasting rights and corporate partnerships could generate sufficient revenue to make the tournament financially sustainable. A competition featuring several generations of internationally recognised players could offer broadcasters and sponsors a distinct football product, although its commercial prospects would depend on FIFA's assessment and the eventual format.
The idea has been on his mind for approximately 15 years. Ogbuenyi said he first began considering it following Okocha's retirement, describing the former Nigerian playmaker as the country's most adored football prodigy. He held back from formally presenting the proposal until he believed the circumstances offered a stronger opportunity to attract worldwide attention.
The reported retirement of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, became the trigger for that decision. Ogbuenyi said he anticipated that the development would generate global interest capable of drawing attention to his proposal.
“I first started nursing this idea when Jay Jay Okocha, Nigeria’s most adored football prodigy, retired about 15 years ago but I had to wait for this moment of Messi’s retirement to submit the proposal because of the anticipated global momentum,” he said.
Ogbuenyi, who previously served two terms as a special assistant on media to the FCT minister, has stressed that he is not seeking personal recognition for the initiative. He describes the proposal as an expression of his passion for football and his desire to give supporters more opportunities to enjoy the game.
“I am not making any claims for bringing up this idea and putting it across through this proposal to FIFA. I am just writing as a football fan who wants the world to be happier through more football games entertainment,” he said.
FIFA's response to the proposal remains unknown. If adopted, the idea would introduce another category of international competition built around players whose senior careers have ended but whose names still carry recognition among football audiences. Whether the concept can progress from a proposal into an organised tournament will depend on FIFA's consideration of its sporting structure, eligibility framework and commercial potential.
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