The football communities in the United Kingdom and Nigeria have been plunged into mourning following the death of Saburi Adeniji, a UK-based Nigerian footballer who featured for Kings Park Rangers Football Club of Sudbury.
Adeniji, a winger with the non-league side competing in the Eastern Counties League Division One North, died on Friday morning at the age of 26 after battling a severe brain stem injury.
His club confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday, noting that he had held on while arrangements were being made for his family to travel from Nigeria to the UK.
Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adeniji spent his early years in the city, where he was raised in a Muslim home.
Those who knew him described him as disciplined, hardworking and quietly determined, qualities that defined both his personal life and football career.
The late footballer was married and is survived by his wife and a four-year-old daughter, who were in Nigeria at the time of his illness.
Efforts were underway to reunite him with his family before his death.
Beyond football, Adeniji pursued an academic path in accounting. He attended Fountain International Private School, Ibadan, for his basic education and later studied at St Luke’s College, Molete, Ibadan. He went on to obtain both National Diploma and Higher National Diploma certificates in Accounting from The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
He later travelled to the United Kingdom on a student visa to further his education while working, although details of the institution he enrolled in could not be independently confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
Adeniji’s football journey began at the grassroots level in Ibadan, where he played street football and local games before joining Newstar Football Club. He later moved to Denmark Football Club, an amateur side, where he continued his development within Nigeria’s lower football tiers.
In search of better opportunities, he relocated to Ekiti State to join Top World Football Club. However, financial constraints and the harsh realities of grassroots football forced him to step away temporarily. Friends said the lack of financial reward at that level made survival difficult for many players.
Despite the setback, Adeniji returned to Denmark Football Club in Ibadan, maintaining his fitness and training while hoping for a breakthrough abroad. That opportunity eventually came after several attempts to leave Nigeria, when he successfully relocated to the UK.
In England, Adeniji joined Kings Park Rangers FC of Sudbury, based in Great Cornard, Suffolk. He initially trained with the team before being registered as a full squad member, having impressed the coaching crew with his pace, work rate and ability on the flanks.
His football career was cut short in January 2026, when he reportedly fell ill after complaining of a headache. The condition worsened and he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Queen’s Hospital on January 15. According to the club, his health deteriorated rapidly and he was later medically classified as brain-dead due to the severity of the injury.
As his condition worsened, Kings Park Rangers FC announced the suspension of all matches to rally support around him. The club also backed a fundraising campaign organised by his friend, Joshua Pollard, to cover emergency visa processing, flights, accommodation and living expenses for his wife and daughter.
Gate fees for matches were replaced with donation-only entry, with proceeds directed towards supporting his family. The club said the gesture was aimed at easing the burden on his loved ones during the difficult period.
The club later explained that recent changes in UK medical law delayed the withdrawal of life support, creating a narrow compassionate window for his family to travel.
Sadly, Adeniji passed away before a full reunion could take place.
Tributes have continued to pour in from teammates, supporters and Nigerians at home and abroad, many describing him as a quiet fighter driven by responsibility to his family and hope for a better future.
Kings Park Rangers FC said fundraising efforts would continue to support his widow and help secure the education and wellbeing of his daughter, ensuring that Adeniji’s legacy endures beyond the football pitch.
