Teslim Balogun | |
Fullname: | Tesilimi Olawale Ayinde Balogun |
Birth Date: | 1931 3, df=y |
Birth Place: | Lagos, Nigeria |
Death Place: | Nigeria |
Position: | Striker |
Clubs1: | Apapa Bombers |
Years2: | 1947 |
Clubs2: | Marine Athletics |
Clubs3: | UAC XI |
Years4: | 1949 |
Clubs4: | Railways XI |
Years5: | 1951 |
Clubs5: | Jos XI |
Years6: | 1952 |
Clubs6: | Pan Bank Team |
Years7: | 1953 |
Clubs7: | Dynamos Club |
Clubs8: | SCOA XI |
Years9: | 1955–1956 |
Clubs9: | Peterborough United |
Caps9: | 0 |
Goals9: | 0 |
Years10: | 1956 |
Clubs10: | Skegness Town |
Years11: | 1956–1957 |
Clubs11: | Queens Park Rangers |
Caps11: | 13 |
Goals11: | 3 |
Years12: | 1957–1958 |
Clubs12: | Holbeach United |
Years13: | 1959–1961 |
Clubs13: | Ibadan Lions |
Nationalyears1: | 1948–1960 |
Nationalteam1: | Nigeria |
Tesilimi Olawale Ayinde "Teslim" Balogun (27 March 1931 – 30 July 1972) was a Nigerian football player and coach. Balogun played at both professional and international levels as a striker, before becoming Africa's first qualified professional football coach.
Educated in Port Harcourt and graduating from St. Mary's Catholic School,[1] Balogun played in his native Nigeria for a number of teams, including Apapa Bombers, Marine Athletics, UAC XI, Railways XI, Jos XI, Pan Bank Team, Dynamos Club and SCOA XI.[2] During his time in Nigeria, Balogun won the Challenge Cup a total of five times in seven finals.[2] He was the first player to score a hat-trick in the competition, in Pan Bank's 6–1 rout of Warri in 1953.[3]
After originally touring with a Nigerian select team in 1949, Balogun returned to the UK in August 1955 to sign with Peterborough United.[4] However, Balogun never made a league appearance for Peterborough,[5] and spent time with Skegness Town before signing with Queens Park Rangers, scoring 3 goals in 13 appearances in the Football League during the 1956–57 season.[6] After leaving QPR, Balogun returned to non-League football, playing with Holbeach United.
Balogun was also a member of the Nigerian national side for 12 years.[3]
Balogun became the first African to qualify as a professional coach.[2] He was the coach for the Nigeria football team at the 1968 Summer Olympics.[2]
The Teslim Balogun Stadium in the Nigerian city of Lagos is named after him.[2] The Teslim Balogun Foundation was founded after his death to assist the families of Nigerian ex-international footballers who may have fallen on hard times.[7]
Balogun was nicknamed "Thunder" because of his powerful shot,[8] and was also known as "Balinga" for a similar reason.[2] During his time touring schools to coach youngesters, he was nicknamed "Baba Ball."[2]
Balogun died in his sleep on 30 July 1972, at the age of 45.[2] He had eight children.[2]