Nigerian football legend and founder of Kanu Heart Foundation (KHF), Nwankwo Kanu, has been hospitalised in the United States of America after corrective heart surgery. The surgery took place at the weekend at the Cleveland Hospital Ohio, according to a report this morning in National Mirror.

The paper quoted Coordinator of the KHF, Pastor Onyebuchi Abia, as saying that the surgery was routine, following the much-publicised surgery the former Nigeria international had at the same hospital in 1996, which rescued his blossoming international football career when it was threatened by a heart ailment.

“Nwankwo has since left the intensive care unit of the hospital and is still recuperating in there,” Abia was quoted as saying.

“He will be back home in a few days time. I spoke with him today (yesterday) and he confirmed he is in a stable condition. Even from his hospital bed, he expressed profound gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan for the award bestowed on him at the Centenary Award Ceremony in Abuja on Friday.

“He also hailed the transformation agenda of the present administration, especially the government’s commitment to sports while promising to continue his football ambassadorial work for the benefit of Nigeria.”

News Express reports that the 37 years old Kanu, who has since retired into full-time business and philanthropy, is Nigeria’s most decorated player of all time and currently Ambassador of the national football teams.

•Photo shows Nwankwo Kanu.