Author: Nurudeen Obalola
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has likened Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to ex-Chelsea centre forward Diego Costa. Chelsea are reportedly in search of a proven striker, with Nicolas Jackson considered not good enough to take the club to the next level. The Senegal international, currently out injured, has nine goals and five assists in 23 English Premier League matches this season. Nigeria international Osimhen, who has been linked with several high-profile moves, has been in brilliant form for Galatasaray this season, the 26-year-old registering 26 goals and five assists in 30 appearances in all competitions. “My concerns with…
The Premier League said it was appalled by the racial abuse suffered by Chelsea centre back Wesley Fofana on social media after his side’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday. The 24-year-old France international posted on his Instagram story the screenshots of racist messages he received and said “stupidity and cruelty can no longer hide”. “The Premier League is appalled by the abuse suffered by Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana after their match against Arsenal. We will offer our full support to Wesley and the club,” the Premier League said in a statement. “We work with the social media platforms and the…
By Korede James Tolu Arokodare has expressed a feeling of gratitude for being included in the Super Eagles’ final 23-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The 24-year-old Belgian Jupiler top scorer (17 goals) is on course for his senior Nigeria debut after making the squad for the two key matches. He was among the early arrivals — alongside Victor Osimhen, Bruno Onyemaechi, Papa Daniel, Kayode Bankole, Amas Obasogie — to the Super Eagles camp in Kigali, Rwanda. Speaking in an interview on his maiden call-up, Arokodare told Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) TV: “First,…
By Korede James Two Amavubi of Rwanda players, Fitina Omborenga and his younger brother Yunusu Omborenga, were excused from camp on Monday following the death of their father. Rwanda are in camp preparing for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Kigali on Friday. According to the Rwanda Football Association, the brothers trained with the squad on Monday before leaving in the night after they were informed their father died earlier in the day. “They were given permission to leave the camp and attend the burial of their deceased father,” Rwanda’s FA media officer…
By Korede James Former Rwanda head coach Stephen Constantine has warned Nigeria’s Super Eagles that numbers will not matter when both teams meet in Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Kigali. The Amavubi are currently on top of qualifying Group C on seven points after four matches, while the Super Eagles are fifth with just three points. Both teams were also drawn in the same group for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Rwanda taking four points off the Super Eagles. Looking forward to Friday’s encounter, the 62-year-old English coach, who now handles Pakistan, assured praised Rwanda’s…
By Korede James It is almost a full house in the Super Eagles camp in Kigali following the arrival of nine more players on Tuesday morning in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. According to the Super Eagles media team, captain William Troost-Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey, Ademola Lookman and Alex Iwobi all arrived in the morning, along with Joe Aribo, new invitee Igoh Ogbu, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Ola Aina. Valencia striker Sadiq Umar joined up with the rest of the squad later. Several of the players had arrived from Europe on Monday night,…
Usain Bolt has revealed the secret behind his decision to forge a career as a 100m sprinter – and make history as the world’s fastest man ever. In the latest episode of the Ready Set Go podcast, alongside Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, the Jamaican icon was asked why he chose to focus on 100m over other distances. “It was just a bet,” Bolt explained. “A bet that created history,” Green exclaimed. Bolt continued: “We were talking about what we needed to do, and he said I needed to get into the gym and I also needed to run another…
The Nigeria Football Federation will perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a players’ hostel and a number of new training pitches in Abuja on Tuesday. The NFF said on Monday that the groundbreaking will be done by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. Named the NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel, the 68-room facility is located at the heart of Package B of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, almost directly opposite the NFF Secretariat. It is a two-wing building, with A and B sections, and has a total of 62 single rooms, four suites and two executive…
By Korede James The Flamingos of Nigeria will take on Algeria in the final qualifying round of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The pairing was confirmed after Algeria defeated Botswana 5-2 on aggregate in the second round of the qualifying series. The Flamingos advanced to the final round on Saturday after securing a 2-0 win against South Africa in the second leg in Ikenne-Remo, to qualify 5-1 on aggregate. In other final qualifying round fixtures, Kenya will face Cameroon, Zambia will battle Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire will play Guinea. Four teams from Africa, alongside hosts Morocco, will…
By Nurudeen Obalola The Super Eagles of Nigeria have begun preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture against Rwanda with the arrival of key personnel in Kigali. The match will be played in Kigali on Friday before the Super Eagles host Zimbabwe four days later in Uyo. The Super Eagles media team reported that the coaching crew led by head coach Eric Chelle, and including his assistants Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ikechukwu, opened the camp on Sunday after arriving from Nigeria. As at Monday morning, there were six players in camp, with Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen the most…