Category: Sports

Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo has backed Victor Osimhen to become captain of the team ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Recall that William Troost-Ekong, who was Super Eagles captain, recently announced his retirement from international football.

However, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has been widely tipped to take up the captaincy role vacated by Troost-Ekong.

But Ighalo believes Osimhen is the right player to become captain of the Super Eagles because Eric Chelle’s men will listen to him.

“There are several players ahead of Osimhen (as senior players), but now Osimhen is doing well and he has the balls to demand what the team wants,” Ighalo said in an speaking to former Super Eagles media officer Colin Udoh.

“Ndidi is not the talking type, he is a very calm guy, but Osimhen is outspoken, he is going to speak on behalf of the team, he is going to ginger the boys, he’s going to fight for the boys, he will speak to any body he needs to speak to to make sure they are okay.

“The captain job is not easy because your neck in on the line, because whatever the boys demand it’s you that will put it forward to the NFF.

“And if NFF want to come for anybody, they are coming for you because you are the captain.

“With Osimhen, he will speak and nothing can happen because he’s the biggest player in the team, so they won’t want to look down on him, they will listen to him because he’s doing well.”

AFCON 2025: Ighalo names player that should become new Super Eagles captain

Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has claimed that Arsenal faces a disadvantage in this season’s Premier League title race against Manchester City.

Arsenal currently leads the English top-flight league table after 16 games, with Mikel Arteta’s side ahead of the Cityzens in second place and Aston Villa in third place.

“Manchester City are just coming good at the right time, which is scary for the rest of them,” Souness told Sky Bet.

“Aston Villa are a good team, but when you’ve won the Premier League title a few times, you’ve unbelievable belief in yourself.

“Arsenal and Villa have not got that [belief]. City have got that. So,  City will be full of confidence.

“They’ll be thinking, ‘We’ll win this title. Someone will bottle it. We’ll beat Arsenal when we play them.’”

EPL: Souness pinpoints disadvantage Arsenal have in title race with Man City

Arsenal are showing their determination to sign Kenan Yıldız from Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.

As reported by TouchlineX on Wednesday, the Arsenal board has told manager Mikel Arteta he needs to sell one of his attackers to make Yıldız’s signing happen.

The Gunners chiefs are keen to bolster Arteta’s squad in the second half of the season when the January transfer window opens.

The Premier League North London club are keen to win the English top-flight league this season, having finished in second position in the last three seasons.

This season, Arsenal is currently on top of the Premier League table with two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.

Arteta’s side will face Everton in their next Premier League fixture this weekend.

Arsenal to sign Kenan Yıldız for Arteta

The Nationwide League One, NLO, has announced players registration guidelines ahead of the upcoming season.

The league body has urged clubs to remit a registration fee of ₦600,000 (six hundred thousand Naira) to its account in other to gain access to the NLO’s database.

The modalities is for clubs in the NLO Division One and the U-19 Youth League.

For the youth league clubs, submission of players’ primary school certificates is required.

The deadline for Division One club registration is set for Friday, 27 February, 2026.

The NLO board in collaboration with its Secretariat stated this on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the proactive move highlights the league body’s commitment to ensuring that preparations for the 2026 league are moving forward seamlessly.

The new season is set to kick-start on Friday, 10 April.

NLO sets guidelines for new season registration

Robo Queens have called for fans support ahead of their Nigeria Women Football League, NWFL, matchday four derby clash against Dannaz Ladies.

The Queens will lock horns with Dannaz Ladies at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos on Wednesday (today).

Robo Queens said the fans support will go a long way towards achieving victory in the game.

“Let the stadium feel our energy. Let our queens hear our voices. Let every beat of the drum echo “We are ROBO!,” Robo Queens stated ahead of the Lagos Derby match.

Robo Queens currently occupy top spot in the Group B table with nine points from three games.

Dannaz Ladies are sixth in the league table with four points.

NWFL: Robo Queens rally supporters ahead derby with Dannaz Ladies

The Super Eagles of Nigeria lost  2-1 to Egypt in a pre-2025 Africa Cup of Nations friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday.

Head coach Eric Chelle fielded a largely experimental side in the game.

Mahmoud Saber gave Egypt the lead two minutes before the half hour mark.

The Super Eagles got their equaliser through Chidozie Awaziem late in the first half.

Awaziem nodded home Zaidu Sanusi’s free kick after the Pharaohs failed to clear their lines.

Egypt seized the initiative early in the second half, and restored their lead through Mostafa Mohammed.

The Super Eagles will travel Fez, Morocco on Thursday for the AFCON.

Super Eagles fall to Egypt in pre-AFCON friendly 

Paris Saint-Germain star, Ousmane Dembele was awarded the 2025 Men’s Player of the Year at FIFA’s The Best Awards on Tuesday.

The France international emerged winner after winning the UEFA Champions League, French Ligue 1 title, UEFA Super Cup and scoring 35 goals in all competitions for PSG last season.

FIFA Best Awards 2025 (Full list):

The Best FIFA Men’s Player – Dembele

The Best FIFA Women’s Player – Aitana Bonmatí

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach –
Luis Enrique

The Best FIFA Women’s Coach –
Sarina Wiegman

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper –
Gianluigi Donnarumma

The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper –
Hannah Hampton

Puskás Award (best goal for men) – Santiago Montiel’s goal against Independiente Rivadavia.

The FIFA Marta Award ( best goal for women) – Lizbeth Ovalle’s goal against Guadalajara.

FIFA Best Awards 2025: Full list of winners

FIFA have unveiled their Team of the Year on Tueday.

The Best XI, which have been lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, was revealed at a ceremony in Doha.

It has Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal – first and second, respectively, in the Ballon d’Or rankings earlier this year – as the forward line.

The Premier League is represented by Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City) and Cole Palmer (Chelsea).

Others are Jude Bellingham (England), Vitinha (PSG), Pedri (Barcelona) in midfield.

The defence is all PSG: Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho and Achraf Hakimi.

The Parisian outfit dominate FIFA’s Best XI after winning the Champions League, Ligue 1 and the French Cup in the 2024/25 season.

FIFA reveals 2025 Team of the Year [Full list]

New Super Eagles player, Tochukwu Nnadi has named four Nigerian stars he looks up to as a professional footballer.

The four Nigerian stars, Nwankwo Kanu, Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika.

Nnadi has recently been named in Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking to Super Eagles media, the Zulte Waregem midfielder said: “I was always dreaming of being in the national team one day.

“I played in the Under 20. Now I’m in the Super Eagles, and I was not expecting it to be too soon. I was looking up to Nwankwo Kanu.

“I was also looking up to Wilfred Ndidi, Onyeka and also Raphael Onyedika. Those are the players I look up to.”

New Super Eagles player, Nnadi names four Nigerian stars he looks up to

Tochukwu Nnadi has opened up about his maiden call-up to the Super Eagles, DAILY POST reports.

The Zulte Waregem midfielder was named in Nigeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations last week.

Nnadi is not new to national team football, having previously represented Nigeria at the U-20 level. He was part of the Flying Eagles squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The 22-year-old admitted that the invitation to the Super Eagles came as a surprise to him.

“I was young and I was always dreaming to be in the national team one day. I played in the U-20, and now I’m in the Super Eagles. Though I was not expecting it to be too soon, but now I’m here and I’m happy,” he told the Super Eagles media.

Nnadi also stated that he is ready to help the Super Eagles claim the title in Morocco.

“I know being in the national team comes with a lot of pressure. I come from a country with a lot of people, so playing for them is heavy. But I’m here to show my quality, fight for the team, and I hope we win the AFCON,” added Nnadi.

AFCON 2025: Super Eagles invitation big surprise – Nnadi