When Samuel Okunowo started playing for Waltham Forest FC in 2009, almost no one knew they were sharing a dressing room with a former Barcelona defender, writes Nathan Clarke
In 1998, Samuel Okunowo had the world at his feet. At just 19, the Nigerian defender was lining up for Barcelona alongside Xavi, Luis Figo and Rivaldo against Manchester United in the Champions League – living out the dream of millions.
But that match – which featured a young David Beckham and finished in a 3-3 draw – was to be the highpoint in his fleeting career at Europe’s elite level. Eleven years later, Okunowo would swap the famous blue and red of Barcelona for the orange of Waltham Forest FC (now Walthamstow FC), one of his last attempts at resurrecting his once promising career.
Today, ‘Barcelona Sam’ – as he came to be known by his Waltham Forest teammates – can walk just about anywhere without being recognised. His journey from the Camp Nou to E17 is one of heartbreak and misfortune, but also a story of remarkable success – a man who achieved footballing greatness, albeit briefly.
Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, Okunowo’s remarkable move to Barcelona at just 18-years-old was a feat very few Nigerians before him had achieved. First spotted playing for his school team, the strong, quick right-back quickly began to build a reputation as one of the country’s brightest footballing prospects.
At the final of the 1997 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup – which saw Nigeria edge a 3-2 win over a young Spanish side – Okunowo the standout player. Spanish football scouts who were in attendance had seen a star in the making and Okunowo was offered a trial at the club just hours after the full-time whistle.
He made an instant impact. His debut came at the start of the following season against Racing Santander, where he played 76 minutes in a 0-0 draw. He would make 21 appearances in all for Barcelona, helping the club to the La Liga title in 1998/9, and playing five times in the Champions League.
But after an impressive first season, his fortunes quickly turned.
Okunowo would only play a handful of games during an unsuccessful loan spell at Benfica. Once recalled, a serious knee injury would mark the beginning of the end of his career at just 22 years old.
Unable to prove his fitness, he was sold to Greek side Ionikos in 2001. From there, Okunowo would play just 19 more games of football over the next eight years of his injury-ravaged career. In 2009 – following brief stints in Albania, Ukraine and the Maldives – he arrived in Walthamstow.
“From what we can remember he was pretty quiet,” vice chairman of Walthamstow FC Andrzej Perkins says.
Waltham Forest FC – which was rebranded to Walthamstow FC in 2018 – were at the time based at Cricklewood Stadium in Ilford, competing in the Ryman League Division One North.
“We had no idea how he ended up in London, let alone playing for us,” Perkins continues.
“He didn’t mention that he’d played for Barcelona, it was only through some googling that it turned out to be him. Weirdly, he didn’t appear head and shoulders above the rest – he was a pretty rugged player, but had a knack of being in the right place at the right time.
“It’s not uncommon to have former pros play in non-league. I suppose, if anything, it shows that the standard of football in non-league is far higher than you might expect!”
Okunowo would manage just 20 appearances in all for Waltham Forest FC before further trials in Poland and Norway, but no contract was forthcoming at either club. He hung up his boots aged 34, bringing to an end a career of brief highs and enduring lows.
Just as his career was winding down, personal tragedy struck. A fire tore through his home in Ibadan destroying many of his possessions, leaving him with little to show of his globe-trotting football career.
In his time of need, his former Barcelona teammates stepped in to help one of their own. His deep connection to the club was seen again in 2025, when he turned out for a Barcelona legends team for a charity match in Abuja, Nigeria.
Today, his social media feeds remain dotted with photos of him beside some of the game’s greats – glimpses of a career that burned brightly, if briefly.
His time in Europe may have been short, but Okunowo was one of the few players of his era to wear Barcelona’s colours at a time when African representation at Europe’s elite clubs was still limited. And in E17, he holds a different kind of honour – the most decorated player ever to pass, almost unnoticed, through the ranks of Walthamstow FC.
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