By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Super Eagles legend Daniel Amokachi and Brazil World Cup winner Gilberto Silva have called for greater global action to address youth mental health, using football as a platform to promote awareness and support.
The football icons made the appeal at a high-level United Nations event titled “One World, One Game, One Goal: Football For The Goals (FFTG) Initiative” held at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Convened by the UN Youth Affairs Office, the event brought together representatives of member states, policymakers, youth leaders and renowned athletes, including former NBA player and basketball executive Pop Mensah-Bonsu and former England and Chelsea Women’s star Eniola Aluko, to explore the role of sport in advancing mental well-being.
Speaking during the event, Amokachi shared his personal experience with mental health challenges following a career-threatening injury ahead of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
The Olympic gold medallist recalled that an injury and subsequent surgery ended his playing career after doctors informed him six months later that he could no longer play football.
He said the setback had a profound impact on his mental health and ultimately inspired him to establish the Daniel Amokachi Eduplus Youth Development Foundation, which promotes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, and peace, justice and strong institutions.
Amokachi stressed that approaches to tackling mental health should reflect local realities, noting that Africa requires different strategies from those adopted in Europe and North America.
Drawing from his foundation’s work, he said experience had shown that mental health issues are best addressed not only in classrooms and conference halls but also through sports and community engagement.
Also speaking, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Felipe Paullier, said achieving sustainable development depends on prioritizing the mental well-being of young people.
He noted that while rapid technological change has made the future seem increasingly uncertain, young people continue to build connections and foster unity across societies.
According to Paullier, mental health remains one of the most pressing concerns consistently raised by young people worldwide, adding that care and meaningful human connections are central to addressing the challenge.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Football for the Goals Champions, with Amokachi becoming the first and only Nigerian former footballer named to the prestigious global group.
The United Nations’ Football for the Goals initiative seeks to mobilize the global football community in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals by harnessing the influence of the world’s most popular sport to promote peace, inclusion and sustainable development.
