Atlanta '96 Olympic Gold medalist Dosu Joseph cheats death after miraculous escape from car crash

Dosu Joseph | Daily Post

Atlanta '96 Olympic Gold medalist Dosu Joseph cheats death after miraculous escape from car crash

Ayoola Kelechi 10:34 - 05.10.2024

The former Super Eagles goalkeeper was spared in the ghastly accident while queueing to buy fuel

Nigerian Olympic gold medal-winning goalkeeper and former Super Eagles star Dosu Joseph has survived a life-threatening accident after a truck's brakes failed while the former Nigeria international queued for fuel.

Olympian escapes death

The retired football star, who famously helped Nigeria secure gold in the 1996 Olympics, with his goalkeeping heroics at the Atlanta tournament narrowly avoided disaster in a miraculous escape.

Super Eagles legendary goalkeeper Dosu Joseph || Imago

In a video shared on social media, a red truck can be seen crashed into several cars, one of which is reported to have contained the former Dream Team goalkeeper.

A narrator can be heard describing the events of the crash after the truck’s brakes failed and collided with vehicles that were queueing to buy fuel at a nearby filling station.

It is not the first time that Dosu has cheated death after escaping a near-fatal accident in his youth that eventually ended his budding career.

Dosu Joseph’s Dream Team and Super Eagles legacy

Dosu’s rise to fame came in the lead-up to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when he unexpectedly claimed the first-choice goalkeeper spot over Celestine Babayaro.

Nigeria Team at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics | Credit: IMAGO

His performances were pivotal as Nigeria's "Dream Team" marched to gold, with Joseph standing strong between the posts in all six matches.

The Olympics were meant to be the springboard for a brilliant career. Shortly after, Dosu earned a move to Italian club Reggiana and began competing for a spot in the Super Eagles lineup alongside veteran Peter Rufai. Within months, he featured in two World Cup qualifiers and a friendly, setting the stage for what looked like a promising future.

Nigerian goalkeeper Dosu Joseph | Sports Buddy
Nigerian goalkeeper Dosu Joseph | Sports Buddy Nigerian goalkeeper Dosu Joseph | Sports Buddy

Sadly, Dosu's flourishing career was cut short when a severe car accident left him with life-threatening injuries, almost costing him the use of his legs. He was forced to retire from football at just 23 years old, bringing an abrupt end to what could have been a long and successful career.