Taiwo Awoniyi has promised that the Super Eagles will deliver a strong performance in the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda. With only one win in their last five games and a recent 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic, the Super Eagles are eager to turn things around. Awoniyi assured fans of the team’s commitment, stating, “Football is our profession, and this is what we do. I want to assure all Nigerians that we are ready to give our best.” The Super Eagles will face Benin Republic in Uyo on Saturday before traveling to Kigali…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Cannavaro, a World Cup winner in 2006 and former Ballon d’Or recipient, disclosed that the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) approached him to take over the national team, but he declined the opportunity. “I received an offer to coach Nigeria, but I had to say no,” Cannavaro told TMW. “It wasn’t the right time for me, and I didn’t feel ready for such a project.” Cannavaro, who has managed clubs in China and the Middle East, expressed his respect for Nigerian football but stated that he is waiting for the right opportunity to take on a new challenge in his coaching…
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has reflected on his latest achievement in football after reaching another historic milestone. The 39-year-old scored the 900th goal of his career in Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Croatia in Lisbon on Thursday, tapping in from close range after a perfect cross from Nuno Mendes. Ronaldo, the first player to reach 900 career goals, shared his thoughts on the achievement, saying (via Fabrizio Romano): “900 goals may seem like just another milestone, but only I know how much work goes into reaching it. It’s a unique moment in my career. I don’t chase records… they chase me!”…
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has promoted three young Nigerian players to first-team training on Wednesday. According to Arsenal youth team insider Jeorge Bird, Ife Ibrahim, Cam’ron Ismail, and Andre Harriman-Annous were among the academy players invited to train with the senior squad. Ibrahim and Harriman-Annous are first-year scholars, while Ismail, who began his second year of scholarship in July 2024, is also included. The promotion comes as Arteta needed to fill gaps left by 12 first-team players who are away on international duty, including Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz, Jakub Kiwior, David Raya, Declan…
Cristiano Ronaldo has urged Al Nassr to target Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovačić for a January transfer. Reports from CBS Sports suggest that Al Nassr is prepared to offer over $1 million per week, significantly higher than Kovačić’s current salary at Manchester City. The Saudi Arabian club attempted to secure Kovačić before the summer transfer window closed but was unable to finalize the move due to complications with their international roster. They struggled to offload Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca, which prevented the deal. Ronaldo, who played alongside Kovačić at Real Madrid from 2015 to 2018, has been a strong…
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has submitted his 25-man squad for the upcoming Europa League campaign. United secured their place in the competition by winning the FA Cup with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in May. The team is set to play at least eight matches—four at Old Trafford and four away—before potentially advancing to the knockout stages. The group stage fixtures begin on September 25 against FC Twente and conclude on January 30 with an away trip to FCSB in Romania. Here is Manchester United’s full Europa League squad: Goalkeepers: Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Dermot…
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticized Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag for his handling of Jadon Sancho. Sancho joined Chelsea on a season-long loan this summer, with an obligation for the Blues to buy him next year. The England winger had spent part of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund after falling out with Ten Hag but was later reintegrated into the first team. However, a last-minute move to Chelsea appears to have marked the end of his time at Old Trafford. Klopp believes Ten Hag should have shown more support for Sancho before deciding to offload…
Real Madrid have congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese superstar reached the monumental milestone of 900 career goals for club and country. Ronaldo, who spent a significant portion of his illustrious career at Los Blancos, hit the landmark during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League opener against Croatia in Lisbon on Thursday. After Diogo Dalot’s early goal, Ronaldo ended his five-game goal drought for Portugal with a crucial strike, making him the first player to score 900 career goals. Ronaldo played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, and the club celebrated his achievement with a tweet (translated from Spanish) that read:…
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has highlighted the one crucial element the team needs to succeed under new manager Enzo Maresca. The Spanish left-back believes that unity and teamwork are vital for Chelsea to reach their potential this season. Cucurella emphasized the importance of the squad working together as one cohesive unit to adapt to Maresca’s tactics and philosophy. He mentioned that while individual talent is important, success will only come if the team plays as a collective. “To succeed under Maresca, we need to work together and understand his vision. It’s about all of us being on the same page,”…
Nigeria’s Falconets were defeated 3-1 by Germany in their second group match at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Thursday morning. This result means the Falconets have now lost all six encounters against the Germans at this level. Germany dominated early, with Alara Sehitler scoring in the 17th minute to give them the lead. Despite creating several opportunities, Nigeria failed to score in the first half. The Falconets equalized shortly after the break with a goal from Chiamaka Okwuchukwu. However, Germany regained the lead 11 minutes later through Sofie Zdebel, and substitute Sarah Ernst sealed the win with…
Cristiano Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or trophies throughout his illustrious career, but in a surprising move, he decided to sell one of them. Typically, footballers who win the Ballon d’Or either hand a replica to their club, keep it in their personal collection, or donate it to a museum. However, Ronaldo took a different approach. In 2017, he auctioned off his 2013 Ballon d’Or for charity, according to MARCA. The 2013 award was Ronaldo’s second Ballon d’Or and marked the end of Lionel Messi’s four-year streak of winning the prestigious prize. Ronaldo secured 27.99% of the vote, while Messi…
After days of fighting for her life after being set ablaze by her ex-boyfriend, Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei has tragically passed away. The incident, which occurred in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya, stemmed from a domestic dispute between Cheptegei and her ex-boyfriend. She suffered severe burns, covering more than 75% of her body, and was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. Despite initial treatment at Kitale County Referral Hospital and plans to airlift her to Nairobi for specialized care, Cheptegei succumbed to her injuries before the transfer could take place. According to local authorities, the attack occurred after an…
Chelsea legend John Terry has extended his best wishes to Rio Ngumoha following the young winger’s transfer to Premier League rivals Liverpool. Ngumoha, who played for Chelsea’s Under-21 team at just 15, has signed a scholar’s contract with Liverpool and will start in their Under-18 squad. The Premier League has approved the final stages of the deal, though a tribunal might still be needed to finalize the compensation between the two clubs, according to The Athletic. Ngumoha could potentially make his Liverpool debut against Blackburn Rovers next Saturday. The 16-year-old announced his move on Instagram with the caption: “Delighted to…
Casemiro is reportedly a target for Galatasaray as the Turkish club looks to sign the Manchester United midfielder before the transfer window in Turkey closes on September 13. This comes amid interest from Galatasaray, following the news that Sergio Oliveira is undergoing medical tests at Olympiacos. Casemiro has faced a notable drop in form since his impressive debut season after joining United from Real Madrid in August 2022. He struggled in the first half of United’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, leading to his substitution at halftime due to mistakes that contributed to two of Liverpool’s goals. Galatasaray, having…
England midfielder Angel Gomes has explained that he left Manchester United four years ago to join Lille in order to develop both as a player and as a person. Gomes, who joined Manchester United’s academy at age six, was highly regarded for his potential at Old Trafford. However, he made the move to French Ligue 1 side Lille in 2020. Recently selected by England interim manager Lee Carsley for Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, Gomes spoke to the media ahead of England’s match against Ireland on Saturday. He said: “When I left Manchester United, it…
For the first time in 21 years, the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominations list excludes football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Messi, an 8-time winner, and Ronaldo, with 5 victories, have dominated the award for nearly two decades. Their absence marks the end of an era, as a new generation of talent takes the spotlight. Ronaldo’s remarkable run began in 2004, earning him the most nominations with 18. Messi, with 16 nominations and a record-setting 8 wins, holds the most victories in Ballon d’Or history, a feat unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon. The 2024 shortlist highlights top talents like…
The Croatian midfielder praised Portuguese forward Bernardo Silva, highlighting the Manchester City star’s skill and intelligence on the field. While Ronaldo often dominates discussions around Portuguese football, Modric made it clear that Silva is another standout talent from the nation. “Bernardo Silva is a player I really like. He’s very clever with the ball, knows how to control the game, and is one of the best playmakers around,” Modric said during an interview.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has stated that the team is not concerned about facing former manager Gernot Rohr again. Rohr led Benin Republic to a historic 2-1 victory over the Super Eagles in June and will look to repeat that success when he manages the Cheetahs in their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifying match against Nigeria in Uyo on Saturday. Troost-Ekong assured that the Super Eagles are prepared for the challenge. “We’re ready for the game. Playing against Gernot Rohr, a coach who knows us well from his time with us up to five years ago, doesn’t faze…
On Wednesday, the Premier League approved the sale of two hotels by Chelsea’s owners to an associated company. In June 2023, Chelsea FC Holdings Ltd sold the Millennium and Copthorne hotels to BlueCo 22 Properties Ltd, both of which are owned by BlueCo 22 Ltd, Chelsea’s holding company. The £76.5 million generated from the sale reduced Chelsea’s financial loss in the 2022/2023 accounts from £166.4 million to £89.9 million. Under Premier League financial regulations, clubs are allowed a maximum deficit of £105 million over a rolling three-year period. The Premier League cleared the deal after determining that the sale reflected…
Ángel Di María has not held back in naming the worst manager he has ever worked with during his illustrious football career. The Argentine winger, who has played under several top coaches at clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain, made it clear who stands out as the worst. “I can assure you, he was the worst manager I’ve ever had,” Di María stated bluntly, without naming the manager directly in this instance. Di María’s career has seen him work with some of the biggest names in football management, but his comments indicate that not all experiences were…