Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has revealed the top three fastest players in the team, as well as the most skillful, during a recent interview on the Counter Attack Podcast. “The quickest are Simon, Lookman, and Samuel,” Osimhen said. He also highlighted the most skillful players in match situations: “Boniface, Ademola, and Iheanacho.” Osimhen, who scored in Nigeria’s 3-0 victory against Benin Republic in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, will now aim to lead the Super Eagles to another win against Rwanda on Tuesday.
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Amavubi of Rwanda head coach, Torsten Spittler, is hopeful that playing in front of home fans will help his team secure a historic victory over Nigeria. Rwanda will host the Super Eagles in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, on Tuesday, marking the first official match at the newly refurbished venue. The Amavubi kicked off their qualifying campaign with a 1-1 away draw against Libya last week. Spittler acknowledges the challenge posed by Nigeria but believes his team can capitalize on their home advantage. “We know our game against Nigeria won’t be easy, but…
Former France midfielder Zinedine Zidane has acknowledged that it’s unlikely he will manage Manchester United, citing his reluctance to work in England as a key factor. Zidane, who has been without a coaching role since leaving Real Madrid for the second time in 2021, has been linked with top clubs such as Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich. In an interview with L’Equipe, Zidane explained that the language barrier is a significant reason for his hesitation in joining the Premier League. “Would I want to go to Manchester [United]? I understand English, but I’m not completely fluent in it,”…
Real Madrid forward Rodrygo believes his versatility may have cost him a spot on the final 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist, after being excluded from the nominations. The 23-year-old, who contributed 17 goals and nine assists for Real Madrid last season, helping them win both the Champions League and La Liga, admitted he was “upset” by the omission. Speaking to ESPN, Rodrygo said, “I was upset, I think I deserved it. I don’t want to diminish the players who made the list, but I felt I had a place in the top 30. It was a surprise… But there’s not much…
Interim assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has praised Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Moses Simon ahead of Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Rwanda on Tuesday. Ilechukwu acknowledged the challenge Rwanda poses but expressed confidence in the team’s readiness. The Super Eagles enter the game on the back of a 3-0 victory over Benin Republic on Saturday. “I’m very happy, and Nigerians are happy. We won with little preparation, and I feel like the happiest man on earth,” Ilechukwu said in a video posted on the X handle of Official54fx. “We will give…
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has shared what he told teammate Semi Ajayi before his acrobatic goal in Saturday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Benin Republic. Osimhen, who came off the bench, scored an impressive acrobatic goal in the second half as Nigeria secured a 3-0 victory at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. Ademola Lookman contributed with two goals in the match. Osimhen revealed that he spoke to Ajayi in Yoruba, asking the defender to leave the ball for him. Speaking on the Counter Attack Podcast, Osimhen said: “I have watched it [the goal] close to…
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have arrived in Kigali for their second match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Rwanda’s Amavubi. The team and officials departed from Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, on a chartered flight Sunday afternoon and were welcomed by Nigerian embassy officials at Kigali International Airport in the evening. The Super Eagles are scheduled to hold their final training session later today and will visit the match venue, Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, on Monday. The game is set to kick off on Tuesday at 2 p.m. Nigeria time.
Croatia captain Luka Modric became the second most-capped player in European football history on Sunday. The Real Madrid veteran reached this milestone after leading Croatia to a 1-0 victory over Poland in a Nations League match at the Opus Arena. Modric, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, scored the game’s only goal with a second-half free kick. The 39-year-old now has 180 appearances and 27 goals for Croatia, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo, who holds the record with 213 appearances for Portugal. Ronaldo, currently with Saudi club Al Nassr, remains Europe’s most-capped player.
Victor Osimhen is backing his Super Eagles teammate, Ademola Lookman, to succeed him as Africa’s best player. Lookman has been widely tipped for the prestigious individual honor following his outstanding performances for both club and country. The 26-year-old winger had a remarkable campaign for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, scoring three goals in seven appearances and earning a spot in the Team of the Tournament. In addition, Lookman scored a hat-trick for Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen. Speaking on the Counter Attack Podcast, Osimhen praised Lookman: “To see Ademola…
Falconets forward, Flourish Sabastine, was awarded the Player of the Match as Nigeria triumphed 2-1 over Venezuela in their final group game at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Sabastine played a pivotal role in the victory, showcasing her skill and determination throughout the match. Her outstanding performance helped the Falconets secure a spot in the knockout stages of the tournament.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has heaped praise on Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman following his stellar performances during Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 qualifiers. Lookman scored twice in Nigeria’s 3-0 victory over Benin Republic on Saturday, continuing his remarkable form after being nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. CAF, in a statement, highlighted Lookman’s impact, saying, “What a week he’s having!” as the forward’s contributions played a significant role in Nigeria’s qualification campaign. In a tweet via its X account after the game, CAF posted a photo of Lookman with a tweet: “What a week Ademola Lookman is having.” Before…
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has tipped Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz as future Ballon d’Or winners. Both players have emerged as key creative forces in Nagelsmann’s revamped squad. Following Germany’s 6-0 victory over Hungary, in which both Musiala and Wirtz scored and Musiala provided three assists, Nagelsmann expressed confidence in their potential. “Both Musiala and Florian Wirtz could win the Ballon d’Or one day. They have the talent to make it happen,” Nagelsmann said. While only Wirtz made the 30-man shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or, Nagelsmann believes both players are capable of reaching that level in the future.
Lee Carsley secured his first victory as England’s senior team manager, with the Three Lions defeating Ireland 2-0 in their 2024/25 UEFA Nations League opener on Saturday. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, both former Ireland representatives at youth and senior levels, were booed by the Dublin crowd but responded with first-half goals to seal a comfortable win for England. England’s League B campaign continues on Tuesday against Finland, as Carsley aims for consecutive victories to kickstart his tenure. Match Overview: The game began in a lively atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium. Ireland had an early chance when Jayson Molumby connected…
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has praised Portuguese veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo, calling him the deadliest goal scorer in the world. This comes after Ronaldo, still captain of the Portugal national team, scored his landmark 900th career goal for club and country earlier this week. Portugal secured a 2-1 win against Croatia in their UEFA Nations League opener in Lisbon, with the 39-year-old breaking a five-game scoring drought for his country. Ronaldo made history as the first footballer to reach 900 career goals. Keane, speaking to ITV Sport (via MEN), highlighted Ronaldo’s consistent scoring prowess: “He had a bit…
Carlo Ancelotti has issued a reminder to Kylian Mbappe and Endrick about the high standards expected at Real Madrid. Mbappe joined Madrid this summer on a high-profile free transfer, while Endrick completed his move in July upon turning 18. The duo has already experienced winning silverware, securing the Super Cup against Atalanta. However, dropped points in two of the first four La Liga games highlight the challenges ahead. Real Madrid defeated Real Betis 2-0 before the international break, with Mbappe scoring a brace to open his La Liga account. Madrid now aims to close the gap on Barcelona, who have…
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has moved up to third place on Nigeria’s all-time top scorers list, surpassing Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, scored in Nigeria’s 3-0 victory over Benin Republic in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo on Saturday. Ademola Lookman also contributed with a brace. Osimhen now has 22 goals for the Super Eagles, trailing only Rashidi Yekini and Segun Odegbami on the all-time list. Top 10 Nigeria’s All-Time Scorers:
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is set to surpass teammate Kevin De Bruyne as the Premier League’s highest-paid player. According to Marca, Haaland is close to agreeing on a new contract with the reigning champions. Currently, De Bruyne earns £425,000 per week, making him the league’s top earner. Haaland’s basic salary stands at £375,000 per week, already putting him among the highest-paid players at the club. However, Haaland’s contract includes performance-related bonuses that could push his weekly earnings beyond £850,000. The new deal is expected to see Haaland earn around €24 million (£20.5m/$27m) net per season.
Sergio Aguero, the Manchester City legend, has publicly endorsed his former team-mate Rodri for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Aguero has chosen Rodri over competitors Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. This week saw the announcement of the 30-man shortlist for the prestigious award, with the ceremony set for next month. Aguero showed his support for Rodri by tweeting, “A perfect year, you deserve it. Come on Rodri,” in response to Manchester City’s tweet about Rodri’s nomination. Rodri was instrumental in Manchester City’s record fourth consecutive Premier League title in May and played a key role in Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria kicked off their journey towards the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a commanding 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs of Benin Republic on Saturday evening. Ademola Lookman broke the deadlock just before halftime with a brilliant solo effort, and Victor Osimhen came off the bench to add a second, before Lookman sealed the win with another goal. Here are four key takeaways from the match:
Jürgen Klopp will make his return to the touchline as he manages Borussia Dortmund for Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Blaszczykowski’s testimonial match. Klopp, who stepped down as Liverpool manager in May after nine years with the club, has been enjoying some time off since then. He will take charge of his first match back at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday. Both Piszczek and Blaszczykowski played for Dortmund from 2008 to 2015, during which time Klopp managed the Bundesliga team and led them to Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012.