Nigerian international goalkeeper Maduka Okoye says his life beyond football has grown rapidly over the past year, but his focus remains unchanged.
The 26-year-old Udinese and Super Eagles goalkeeper, born in Düsseldorf, Germany, spoke in a new interview with The Guardian from Udine, Italy, where he is based. Okoye reflected on a period that began with a viral clip during Nigeria's friendly against Portugal in June 2025, which pushed his Instagram following from about 250,000 to more than one million in days, and extended through his return to Udinese for the 2026/27 Serie A season.
That rise in profile took Okoye to Paris Fashion Week in July, where he made his first major entrance into high fashion. He attended the Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture Show on July 8, where he was seated in the front row beside American rapper Cardi B.
Video of Okoye helping Cardi B to her seat went viral and sparked widespread romantic assumptions online, which neither has confirmed. In the Guardian interview, Okoye said he has developed a genuine love for fashion, enjoys a quiet life in Udine, and follows Formula 1.
He also discussed Serie A and the goalkeepers who impressed him at the World Cup, adding that despite the attention, "it hasn't changed me at all."
Okoye also addressed Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The three-time African champions missed the tournament for a second straight cycle after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African play-offs in Morocco in November 2025, a campaign for which Okoye had been recalled after serving a two-month suspension for involvement in an illegal betting scheme.