{"id":926079,"date":"2026-08-10T04:16:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T09:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/10\/maduka-okoye-responds-to-cardi-b-dating-rumours-it-was-fascinating\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T04:16:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T09:16:18","slug":"maduka-okoye-responds-to-cardi-b-dating-rumours-it-was-fascinating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/10\/maduka-okoye-responds-to-cardi-b-dating-rumours-it-was-fascinating\/","title":{"rendered":"Maduka Okoye responds to Cardi B dating rumours \u2014 \u201cIt was fascinating\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Soccer <\/p>\n

\n

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has finally spoken about the viral Paris Fashion Week appearance that sparked dating rumours involving American rapper Cardi B, Soccernet.ng<\/a> reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Okoye and Cardi B became the subject of intense speculation last month after they were spotted together at the Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture show in Paris<\/a>, where the Udinese goalkeeper was filmed helping the rapper to her seat.<\/p>\n

\n

Cardi B knew he was fine asf when she said, \u201cIt\u2019s crazy hot\u2026 Jesus Christ\u201d \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02 pic.twitter.com\/ZRbftut6Cz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Toluwase \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 (@Toluwase_x) July 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The pair were later seen together during a dinner in Venice, further fuelling rumours about a possible relationship between the Nigerian international and the Grammy-winning musician.<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udea8 EXCLUSIVE: Cardi B and Nigerian soccer star Maduka Okoye are keeping the good times rolling in Italy \u2026 sitting side by side for a swanky dinner overlooking a Venice canal. pic.twitter.com\/CdAPUpzHq8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TMZ (@TMZ) July 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, while the former Watford goalkeeper has not directly confirmed or denied the dating speculation, his latest interview with The Guardian<\/a> has provided his first detailed comments on the Paris appearance and his growing interest in fashion.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
Kimi Antonelli with Maduka Okoye. Copyright: Imago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Get Our Sports News First \u2013\u00a0Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Soccer Maduka Okoye speaks on Cardi B-linked Paris appearance<\/h2>\n

Okoye reflected on his first experience at Paris Fashion Week, describing sitting alongside Cardi B at the Jean Paul Gaultier show as an eye-opening introduction to high fashion.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old admitted that the experience left a strong impression on him and changed his perception of the fashion industry.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cBeing at the Paris fashion week was really impressive,\u201d Okoye said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cIt was my first time really coming into contact with high fashion, and it was fascinating. It\u2019s a true art form. I enjoyed it immensely, and since that moment I\u2019ve become a much bigger fan of fashion than I was before.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Soccer
Nigeria and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. Copyright: ImagoxAlexandrexdexSousax<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While Okoye did not directly address the speculation surrounding his relationship with Cardi B, his comments offer some insight into how he viewed the viral Paris appearance.<\/p>\n

The images and videos from the event quickly spread across social media, with Okoye’s growing online following ensuring that the moment reached an audience well beyond football.<\/p>\n

Soccer Okoye insists football remains his priority<\/h2>\n

Despite his increasing presence in fashion, Formula One and other areas of popular culture<\/a>, Okoye insists that his off-field interests have not distracted him from his responsibilities as a professional footballer.<\/p>\n

The former Fortuna Dusseldorf goalkeeper drew a clear line between his growing personal brand and his work on the pitch.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat happens off the pitch is one thing, what happens on the pitch is another,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cYou have to separate the two. I never let these two worlds collide.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Soccer
Maduka Okoye and Robert Lewandowski. Copyright: ImagoxMaciejxRogowskix <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Okoye added that while marketing and personal branding have become an important part of modern football, his primary responsibility remains protecting Udinese’s goal.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAt the end of the day I am a goalkeeper, and my main job is to protect my team\u2019s goal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Nigerian’s comments come after an eventful summer in which his visibility has grown significantly, both on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n

Soccer Okoye enjoying life at Udinese<\/h2>\n

Away from the spotlight, Okoye also spoke positively about his life in Udine and the calm environment he has found in the Italian city.<\/p>\n

The Germany-born goalkeeper admitted that although he grew up in D\u00fcsseldorf and remains a \u201ccity boy\u201d, he has learned to appreciate the quieter lifestyle in the North-Eastern part of Italy.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI really like Udine. It\u2019s a human, quiet city. You have your peace there and you can focus 100% on your work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That stability has helped Okoye establish himself as an important figure for Udinese after a difficult spell at Watford. <\/p>\n

He recorded 10 clean sheets in Serie A last season and will be hoping to build on that form when the new campaign begins next Saturday against Padova in the Coppa Italia.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
Maduka Okoye of Udinese seen in action during the Serie A match between Roma and Udinese. Copyright: xGennaroxMasixImago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Soccer Unfinished business with Nigeria<\/h2>\n

Okoye also addressed his disappointment at missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Nigeria and admitted that watching the tournament from home was not the ideal experience.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cObviously it would have been better to be part of it, but unfortunately we didn\u2019t qualify,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Super Eagles goalkeeper, who remains hopeful of representing Nigeria at the next World Cup, added:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll try again for the next World Cup. I still enjoyed watching it from the outside; I supported Germany, hoping they\u2019d go a bit further. Now we look to the future, and I really hope to be there at the next edition.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Soccer
Chicharito, Clarence Seedorf during the match between the Netherlands and Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Copyright: Imago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For now, Okoye’s focus appears firmly split between establishing himself at Udinese and embracing the lifestyle opportunities that have come with his growing profile.<\/p>\n

And while his Paris appearance with Cardi B continues to generate speculation, the goalkeeper’s comments suggest that the episode is part of a broader journey into fashion and life beyond football.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>Adefolahan Guerreiro<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Soccer Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has finally spoken about the viral Paris Fashion Week appearance that sparked dating rumours involving American rapper Cardi B, Soccernet.ng reports. Okoye and Cardi B became the subject of intense speculation last month after they were spotted together at the Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture show in Paris, where […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":926080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[140081,113765,2005],"tags":[140080,113764],"class_list":["post-926079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-maduka","category-okoye","category-soccer","tag-maduka","tag-okoye"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/926079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=926079"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/926079\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/926080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=926079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=926079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=926079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}