Noni Madueke: Arsenal Winger Teaches Gunners Teammate Popular Igbo Handshake

Noni Madueke: Arsenal Winger Teaches Gunners Teammate Popular Igbo Handshake

  • Arsenal winger Noni Madueke is carrying his Nigerian heritage with pride and has been influencing his teammates
  • The newly signed Gunners star has been seen teaching fellow teammates the popular Igbo handshake
  • Madueke signed a five-year contract with Arsenal after the Gunners agreed a £52 million deal with Chelsea for the winger

Noni Madueke is a proud Igbo boy, and everyone at the Emirates is feeling his impact.

Born Chukwunonso Azuka Tristan "Noni" Madueke, the England forward still cherishes his Nigerian roots despite representing The Three Lions internationally.

Noni Madueke, Arsenal, Chelsea, Igbo, Handshake
Noni Madueke joined Arsenal from Chelsea this summer on a five-year deal. Photo by Catherine Ivill
Source: Getty Images

Madueke is of Igbo Nigerian descent. He was born in Barnet, Greater London, to Nigerian parents and had his education in England.

According to Sky Sports, Arsenal completed the signing of the 23-year-old winger from Chelsea for an initial fee of £48.5 million, and he signed a five-year contract with the Gunners.

The 23-year-old forward is yet to open his goal account for Arsenal since moving to North London this summer, but his impact is being felt by everyone at the Emirates Stadium.

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Madueke teaches teammates Igbo handshake

Being an Igbo boy, Madueke is letting everyone in the Arsenal dressing room connect with his cultural roots, and the latest beneficiary is 15-year-old Max Dowman.

Noni Madueke, Arsenal, Chelsea, Igbo, Handshake
Noni Madueke is embracing his Igbo roots despite choosing to play for England over Nigeria. Photo by Stuart MacFarlane
Source: Getty Images

Dowman, who, according to the BBC, recently set the record as the second-youngest player to represent Arsenal and the second-youngest to play in the Premier League, was seen learning the popular Igbo handshake with Madueke.

The popular Igbo handshake is a form of greeting and is performed with the three-backhand-clap. See photo below:

It is performed by titled men or chiefs by clapping their backhands together three times before engaging in a regular handshake.

Fans react after Madueke’s handshake

Madueke’s handshake with Dowman has stirred reactions from Nigerians and some Arsenal supporters, with some hailing the England winger.

YaGunner posted on X:

“Noni vibing with the best U17 player in the country”

Better CallBot posted:

“That handshake is either prime form chemistry or cursed energy—let’s talk about it.”

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Ik Official also posted:

“That’s a cultural greeting. Madueke naija boy 😂”

Goonersince97 tweeted:

“Chinonso madueke said his names Noni 😭”

Dozie Isaac posted:

“Igbo bu igbo”

AWE posted:

“Madueke don dey teach Dowman that igbo greeting😁”

While Arsenal fans eagerly wait for Madueke to find the back of the net, it is clear that his presence already resonates in the squad.

His pride in his roots and willingness to share his culture with teammates is winning admiration, not just in London but also back home in Nigeria.

For Madueke, the goals will come. But for now, his influence is being felt in ways that go beyond football, by showing that culture, identity, and pride can live side by side with the beautiful game.

Madueke parties after leaving Chelsea

In another development, Legit.ng reported that Madueke was notably absent from Chelsea’s historic 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final held at the MetLife Stadium, choosing instead to leave the team camp early to finalise his move to Premier League rivals Arsenal.

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Just 24 hours after Chelsea’s victory, photos and videos surfaced on TikTok showing Madueke partying at the Wireless Festival in North London.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Chukwu Ikechukwu avatar

Chukwu Ikechukwu (Sports Editor) Chukwu Ikechukwu Godwin is a seasoned sports journalist with over a decade of experience across radio, TV, and online media. His career has seen him contribute his expertise to prominent media outlets such as Today FM, Wish FM, Silverbird Communications, and Sports Brief. Chukwu has covered prominent sporting events, including the African Wrestling Championship, NPFL matches, AFCON, and World Cup qualifiers, etc. Email: Chukwu.ikechukwu@corp.legit.ng