Ademola Lookman reinforced his status as a frontrunner for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year with a stellar performance in Atalanta’s 6-1 victory over Verona in Serie A on Saturday night. Among the 10 nominees for the prestigious award, Lookman showcased his talent by contributing two goals and two assists in the match. He assisted Marten de Roon for the opening goal just six minutes in and set up Charles De Ketelaere for La Dea’s third goal in the 14th minute. Lookman then scored Atalanta’s fourth and fifth goals in the 29th and 34th minutes, respectively. He was…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has stated that the team will not collapse like Manchester United if he chooses to leave in the summer. Since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013, United have struggled to win the Premier League title. In contrast, City has claimed the championship in six of the last seven seasons, and Guardiola is confident they will continue to succeed even after his departure from the Etihad Stadium. “I don’t know what happened [at United],” Guardiola remarked. “It would be a bad sign for the club if everything falls apart after just one person’s departure. They…
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has expressed his ambition to be the first full-back to win the Ballon d’Or award. The England international made this statement ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday. Historically, no full-back has ever won the prestigious award, although former Italy center-back Fabio Cannavaro claimed it in 2006 after leading his country to victory in the FIFA World Cup. “My main target? I’d say to win a Ballon d’Or,” Alexander-Arnold stated via Fabrizio Romano. “Because I believe I can. I want to be the first full-back to ever do it.” The winner of the…
Victor Boniface made a strong comeback, scoring in Bayer Leverkusen’s exciting 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen on Saturday night. The Nigerian striker missed Leverkusen’s 1-1 draw against Brest midweek following a car accident last Sunday. However, he returned in style, netting the opener for Die Werkself in the 30th minute with an assist from Jeremie Frimpong. This marked Boniface’s sixth league goal of the season. The 23-year-old was substituted for Patrick Schick with 20 minutes remaining. His international teammate, Nathan Tella, remained on the bench for Leverkusen.
Carlo Ancelotti expressed that Real Madrid didn’t deserve the heavy 4-0 loss to Barcelona in Saturday night’s El Clasico, emphasizing his team’s past successes despite the setback. Barcelona claimed their first away win at the Bernabeu since 2022, with two goals from Robert Lewandowski shocking the home crowd, followed by strikes from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The result leaves Madrid trailing six points behind their arch-rivals in the La Liga title race. Ancelotti defended his players, noting their resilience in past challenges. In his post-match press conference, he said, “The result doesn’t reflect what happened. They deserved the win, but…
Barcelona ran riot in the second half, netting four goals to crush fierce rivals Real Madrid in Saturday night’s El Clasico at the Bernabeu. A rapid brace from Robert Lewandowski shocked the hosts, and Madrid’s defense fell apart as late goals from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha sealed a dominant 4-0 win for Barca. Kylian Mbappe struggled in his Clasico debut, frequently caught offside and missing key opportunities, contributing to a frustrating night for the home side.
Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal became the youngest scorer in El Clasico history as his team routed Real Madrid 4-0 at the Bernabeu. The visiting side handled a balanced first half before bursting into the second, with Robert Lewandowski’s quick-fire brace putting Barcelona firmly in control. The La Liga leaders held their ground and extended their lead in the 77th minute, when Yamal sprinted down the right and finished powerfully at Andriy Lunin’s near post. At just 17 years and 105 days old, he broke a 77-year record held by Alfonso Navarro, who scored at 17 years and 365 days for…
The Morocco national team has suffered a significant loss following the untimely death of their former star, Abdelaziz Barrada. Barrada, who began his professional career in France at Sénart-Moissy, later joined Paris Saint-Germain’s B team from 2007 to 2010. The midfielder went on to play for various clubs, including Lusitanos Saint-Maur, Antalyaspor, Al Shahania, Marseille, Al-Jazira, Al-Nasr, and Getafe in Spain. During his two-year stint with Marseille, he made 33 league appearances and scored two goals. According to Moroccan news outlet Hespress, Barrada suffered a fatal heart attack in the afternoon. His passing at the age of 35 has sent…
Chelsea star Joao Felix has expressed his enjoyment of playing alongside teammate Christopher Nkunku. Felix shared his thoughts after leading Chelsea to a victory over Panathinaikos in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday. Felix scored twice, while Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk each added a goal, securing a solid win for Chelsea at the Athens Olympic Stadium. After the match, Felix praised Nkunku’s talent, saying, “Nkunku is a top player. We know he’s top quality. We saw him do amazing things at Leipzig. I like to play with him; we think about the game in the same way. We know what…
Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana has shared his thoughts on the team’s 1-1 Europa League draw with Fenerbahce on Thursday. Onana delivered a strong performance for United, making several key saves throughout the match. Goals from Christian Eriksen and Youssef En-Nesyri resulted in the teams sharing the points. Speaking after the game, Onana told Fabrizio Romano: “It’s very disappointing for me, for the club. At Man United, we have an obligation to win, which we didn’t fulfill. We take our responsibilities and move forward.” This result means United are still seeking their first Europa League win of the season, having…
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has acknowledged that ongoing injuries are “holding back” his team and impacting their performance. Before their improved display against Brentford last weekend, United managed only eight points from 21 in their first seven Premier League matches, marking the club’s worst start to a league season since 1989/90. After drawing their third consecutive Europa League match on Thursday night, Ten Hag will welcome back Bruno Fernandes, who returns from suspension, for the upcoming trip to West Ham United. Rasmus Hojlund, who has had his playing time carefully managed, is also expected to rejoin the lineup.…
Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes his team’s impressive defensive performances are a result of their ability to dominate most of the matches they play. Since taking charge at Anfield, Slot has enjoyed a record-breaking start, winning 11 of his first 12 games in all competitions. He also made history by becoming the first manager in the club’s history to win his first six away matches after Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League. The only blemish on Slot’s record is a surprising 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in September, but that match is notable as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s…
Mitre has unveiled its official ball for the upcoming Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup tournaments. The British football brand has introduced two striking designs tailored for both the men’s and women’s competitions, sure to catch the attention of fans on and off the pitch. The ball for the 2024/25 men’s FA Cup features a striking red and silver design, paying tribute to the fan culture that fuels some of the nation’s most celebrated tournaments. Inspired by the homemade tin foil trophies often spotted in the stands on matchdays, this design is further enhanced by bold chevrons that…
Roberto Mancini has been dismissed as head coach of the Saudi Arabian national team after just one year in charge. The 59-year-old Italian manager, who signed a four-year contract worth £77 million in August 2023, was brought in to lead the team following the 2022 World Cup, where Saudi Arabia made headlines by defeating Argentina in their opening match. However, despite his status as the highest-paid manager in world football, Mancini faced a challenging period with the squad. During his 14-month tenure, Mancini managed 18 games, achieving only seven victories alongside five draws and six losses. According to Italian sources,…
Wojciech Szczesny has expressed his satisfaction in playing second fiddle to Inaki Pena while Barcelona “works well.” The former Poland international retired from football at the age of 34 after Juventus informed him they would not be renewing his contract, leading to a mutual termination. However, following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s season-ending injury against Villarreal in late September, Szczesny was quickly approached as a potential replacement and came out of retirement, signing a contract at the beginning of October. Despite expectations that he would take over the starting role in Ter Stegen’s absence, Szczesny has yet to see any playing time,…
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti remains unfazed by Jude Bellingham’s drop in goal-scoring this season, emphasizing that the English midfielder is still “doing very well.” Bellingham had a remarkable start at Madrid last year, scoring five times in his first four La Liga appearances despite not being known primarily as a goalscorer. By his 15th game, he had netted 14 times, breaking a club record shared by legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano, and 1940s forward Pruden. However, Bellingham’s role has shifted this season, and while he’s yet to score for Madrid, he has found the net for England.…
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed three spots in the latest men’s FIFA rankings, as announced on FIFA’s official website. Previously ranked 39th globally, the three-time African champions have now moved up to 36th place. Within Africa, they rose from sixth to fourth. The Super Eagles’ 1-0 victory over Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier was their only engagement in October. In Africa, only Morocco’s Atlas Lions, Senegal’s Teranga Lions, and Egypt’s Pharaohs are ranked higher. Globally, Argentina remains at the top, followed by France, Spain, England, and Brazil. The next FIFA World Ranking will be…
Stanley Nwabali has been nominated for the 2024 CAF Goalkeeper of the Year award, according to Torizone. Nwabali will compete against nine other top goalkeepers for the title. CAF announced the nominees on Thursday. The Chippa United goalkeeper had a standout performance for the Super Eagles at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and is currently one of the most highly rated goalkeepers in the South African League. The 2024 CAF Awards ceremony is set to take place in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled a 10-man shortlist for the 2024 Player of the Year award. CAF published the list on its social media channels on Thursday, featuring Nigerian stars Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong among the nominees. Other nominees include Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, PSG), Simon Adingra (Cote d’Ivoire, Brighton), and Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Orlando Pirates).
Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, and PSV Eindhoven are among the top teams at risk of elimination from the Champions League. Vincent Kompany’s side suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday night, marking Bayern’s second loss of the group stage following their 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in Match Day 2. Atletico Madrid currently sits in 27th place after a 3-1 home loss to Lille, with Jonathan David scoring twice as the Ligue 1 side continued to challenge Madrid teams this season. AC Milan is positioned 25th despite their 3-1 victory over Club Brugge on Tuesday, while…