By Victor Kanayo
Nigerian-born Footballer David Olatukunbo Alaba who plays for Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid, will very soon launch a philanthropic project in his fatherland.
Chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa who revealed this, said the prolific defender has already invested in the project.
On Wednesday night, Alaba scored Real Madrid’s first goal in their 2-0 defeat of Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt to lift the UEFA Super Cup.
In his debut season in Madrid, the defender played a crucial role as the Spanish giants claimed the 2021–22 La Liga, Supercopa, and Champions League trophies.
Born 30 years ago in Vienna, Austria to Nigerian parents, Alaba is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation.
Alaba represented his country of birth at the youth level but was eligible to play for the Super Eagles until October 2009.
In a match against France, Alaba made his debut for the Austrian national team, becoming their youngest player in history.
Alaba captained Austria during the UEFA Euro 2020, leading the team to the competition’s knockout stages for the first time in their history.
Arguably the most successful Austrian-Nigerian football ever, Alaba won 27 honours, including ten Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich, before leaving for Real Madrid in 2021.