Author: Nurudeen Obalola

Liverpool completed a big smash and grab in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night to come away from their round of 16 first leg contest against Paris St-Germain with a 1-0 victory in Paris. PSG totally dominated the match, with 27 shots, and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson had to make nine saves, the most he has ever made in a single game for the Reds. The Brazil shot-stopper was fittingly named man of the match after repeatedly thwarting the fleet-footed hosts led by Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The one time PSG beat Alisson, in the 20th minute, Kvaratskhelia was…

FIFA has announced that the prize money for this year’s Club World Cup will be a staggering $1 billion. The tournament, expanded to 32 teams, will be held in the United States of America between June 14 and July 13. With $2 billion expected in revenues, FIFA reserves will remain untouched and some of the money generated will also be dedicated to club football around the world, FIFA president Gianni Infantino added in a statement on Wednesday. “The FIFA Club World Cup will not only be the pinnacle of club football, but also a vivid demonstration of solidarity that will…

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the 2026 men’s World Cup final, hosted in the United States, will include a half-time show for the very first time. The US, Canada and Mexico are set to co-host next year’s tournament, with the final set to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026. Never in the history of the tournament – from the inaugural competition in 1930 to now – has there been a halftime show, but Infantino confirmed the break of tradition after speaking at a World Cup event in Dallas. “I can confirm…

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has urged England head coach Thomas Tuchel to give Ethan Nwaneri a call-up to the Three Lions for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. Cole posited the 17-year-old should go straight into Tuchel’s first England squad following his record-breaking performance for Arsenal in their 7-1 thumping of PSV Eindhoven in Tuesday’s Champions League fixture. Nwaneri, born in England to Nigerian parents, became the third-youngest player – after Bojan Krkic and Jude Bellingham – to score a Champions League knockout stage goal when he struck in the win against PSV. His goal was…

By Korede James Former Nigeria international Etim Esin has questioned the size of the Super Eagles’ 39-man provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle released the long list of invited players on Monday for the fixtures against Rwanda in Kigali on March 21 and Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later. Among the players invited for the key clashes are Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Moses Simon, African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Stanley Nwabali, Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey, William Troost-Ekong and Ola Aina,…

Jamie Carragher has addressed a tidal wave of criticism he got after he described the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as not a ‘major tournament’. The former England and Liverpool defender was discussing his old club’s best player, Mohamed Salah, when he dismissed the competition while weighing up his Ballon d’Or chances. Both Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge stood up for AFCON as Carragher waved them off, but soon after he would have been well aware that they weren’t the only ones who disagreed. A flood of African greats slammed the comments, as did Carragher’s former England teammate Rio Ferdinand,…

By Korede James Zimbabwe head coach Michael Nees believes Nigeria’s Super Eagles can be beaten in Uyo in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier later this month. Nees and his side will be guests of the Super Eagles on March 25 in a matchday 6 qualifying Group C clash at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium. Their first meeting on matchday 2 in Zimbabwe’s adopted home ground in Kigali, Rwanda in November 2023 ended 1-1 with Kelechi Iheanacho drawing the Super Eagles level. “Everybody knows Nigeria are better than their current position and our positions are similar,” Nees, a 57-year-old German, said…

By Korede James Arsenal put behind them their recent struggles as they thumped PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie in the Netherlands on Tuesday night. With the dominant display, the Gunners became the first team in Champions League history to score seven goals away from home in a knockout stage match. Incidentally, Mikel Arteta’s men had failed to score in back-to-back games heading into Tuesday night’s fixture. But all that changed as a brace from captain Martin Odegaard and goals from Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino and…

By Korede James Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika returned to fitness for Club Brugge on Tuesday but could not help the Belgian side avoid a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie at the Jan Breydel Stadion. Onyedika sustained an injury in Club Brugge’s league clash against Standard Liege last month and the 23-year-old Nigeria international missed the clash with KAA Gent last weekend due to the knock. He was back in the starting line-up on Tuesday before being replaced in the 90th minute for the Belgian champions. Leon…

By Korede James Super Eagles new head coach Eric Chelle on Tuesday released a 39-man provisional squad for this month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Notable names on the list include Victor Osimhen, African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman, Wilfred Ndidi, Ola Aina, Stanley Nwabali and William Troost-Ekong. Other regulars who made the cut are Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Calvin Bassey and Bright Osayi-Samuel. Kano Pillars forward Ahmed Musa is making a return, along with Southampton midfielder Joe Aribo. There are first-time call-ups for defenders Igoh Ogbu and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, midfielders…