Category: Sports

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has written a letter to Argentina after they lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain.

Ferran Torres netted the winner in extra time as La Roja won 1-0 to clinch the trophy.

According to the DailyMail, in the letter sent to the President of the Argentine FA, Infantino hailed the former champions’ professionalism.

He wrote: “Dear Mr. President, Yesterday, Sunday, July 19, 2026, at the magnificent New York New Jersey Stadium, Argentina won the silver medal of the FIFA World Cup 2026, after an exciting final against Spain.

“I would like to reiterate my most sincere congratulations for this important new result for Argentine soccer.

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 will remain in memory as an unforgettable celebration of football, marked by spectacular matches, the irruption of new promises, the presence of the great figures of the sport and the extraordinary atmosphere lived in stadiums full of fans.

“The magnificent performance of the Albiceleste also contributed decisively to making this edition an exceptional event that captivated millions of football enthusiasts around the world.

“Please send my sincere congratulations to all who have contributed to this magnificent result: to the players, to coach Lionel Scaloni, as well as to the coaching and medical staff and, of course, to the many fans who have accompanied and encouraged the team throughout the competition.

“These victories are always the fruit of constant work, professionalism and attention to detail, but also of passion, commitment and love for this wonderful sport. All this augurs a very promising future and, without a doubt, will pave the way for new and great successes for Argentine football.

“I wish you, dear Mr. President, all the best for the next competitions and I hope to see you again very soon. With all my friendship, Gianni Infantino.”

2026 World Cup: FIFA president, Infantino’s letter to Argentina after losing final leaked

Raphael Onyedika is nearing a permanent transfer to Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt, DAILY POST reports.

According German news outlet, Kicker, talks between Eintracht Frankfurt, and Club Brugge is in the final stage.

The deal is expected to be completed early next week.

Eintracht Frankfurt are expected to part with €9 million to secure the services of the Nigeria international.

The Eagles have attempted to sign Onyedika twice in the past.

Onyedika scored against Adi Hütter’s side in the UEFA Champions League last season.

At Club Brugge, the 25-year-old midfielder won two league titles, one Belgian Cup, and one Belgian Super Cup.

Transfer: Onyedika nears Eintracht Frankfurt switch 

Argentina captain Lionel Messi was eligible to play for one other country before being cap-tied to the South American giants

Messi played for Argentina during the 2026 tournament this summer; however, the trajectory of his international career could have been significantly different.

A recent investigation revealed that he was eligible to play for Argentina’s fierce rivals Brazil.

A comprehensive three-year investigation conducted by Italian researcher Fiorenzo Santini has unveiled intriguing details about the lineage of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

According to findings published by Globo (via Yahoo Sports), Lionel Messi possesses maternal ancestry that could have allowed him to represent Brazil.

Santini’s research indicates that one of the 39-year-old’s maternal great-grandparents was born in Ribeirão Preto, located in the interior of São Paulo, at the turn of the 20th century.

The family later emigrated to Argentina around 1905, establishing the roots that ultimately connected the legendary forward to the three-time world champions.

The investigation also highlighted a slight alteration in the family’s heritage. It notes that upon their settlement in Rosario, the player’s maternal surname, Coccettini, was officially recorded as Cuccittini, which is the name he currently uses.

Messi has solidified his status as the greatest player in Argentina’s history, guiding the nation to secure one World Cup, two Copa America trophies, one Copa Finalissima, and one Olympic gold medal. He holds the record as the all-time scorer for the Albiceleste, with 125 goals in 207 appearances.

The 39-year-old showcased an impressive performance at the recently concluded 2026 tournament, where he scored eight goals and provided four assists in eight matches.

Why Lionel Messi was eligible to play for Brazil before being cap-tied by Argentina

The Nigeria National League, NNL, side FC Basira have confirmed the departure of midfielder Ibrahim Sani, DAILY POST reports.

Sani signed a one-year contract with Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, side Bendel Insurance.

FC Basira wished their former player all the best with the Benin Arsenals.

“The former FC Basira talented midfielder has pen down on a 1-year contract with the Benin side following a successful negotiations,” FC Basira reacted after the player sealed the move to Bendel Insurance.

“We extend our best wishes to him as he embarks on a new chapter with the top-tier club.”

Sani is expected to team up with his teammates in pre-season in readiness for the 2026-27 season.

NNL: FC Basira announce Sani’s move to Bendel Insurance 

The National Sports Commission, NSC, has announced an upward review of performance bonuses and instant rewards for Nigerian athletes competing at the ongoing 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

NSC chairman  Shehu Dikko said the new package was approved to further motivate Team Nigeria.

According to Dikko ,  gold medal winners will now receive $10,000- $5,000 cash instant reward,  and $5,000 paid directly into their account. 

Silver medalists will get $5,000 — $2,000 cash instantly, and $3,000 paid to their account.

 Bronze medalists will receive $3,000 in total — $1,000 cash instant, and $2,000 paid to their account.”

Dikko further said all three gold medalists from Friday have already received $10,000 each contrary to earlier reports of $8,000.

 The two gold medalists from Saturday, and the silver medalists have also received their instant cash payments of $5,000 and $2,000 respectively.

On coaching incentives, Dikko disclosed that coaches will receive $5,000 if their athlete wins gold.

He further revealed that athletes are on a daily allowance of $200, while coaches receive $250 per day.

There are also special bonuses under special circumstances,” Dikko said, citing the on-the-spot cash reward given to Rilwan Idris yesterday to motivate him from a potential bronze position to gold.

The NSC says the enhanced welfare package is part of efforts to ensure Team Nigeria is fully supported and motivated throughout the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow 2026: NSC raises performance bonuses for Team Nigeria athletes

Super Eagles defender Chidozie Awaziem is nearing a switch to Turkish Super Lig club Konyaspor, DAILY POST reports.

Awaziem, according to reports, will sign a two-year contract with the option of another year with Konyaspor.

The Anatolian Eagle will pay French club Nantes €1 million for the versatile defender.

Nantes were relegated from Ligue 1 last season after finishing in 17th position on the table.

Awaziem joined the Canaries from Major League Soccer, MLS, club Colorado Rapids last summer.

The 28-year-old registered one goal and two assists in 26 appearances for the eight-time Ligue 1 champions.

Transfer: Awaziem set for Konyaspor move

Arsenal are exploring a move to sign winger Vinicius Junior if he does not extend his Real Madrid contract, according to The Athletic.

The Premier League champions’ interest is said to be in its early stages.

This means there is no guarantee that a move for the 26-year-old will materialise into a deal.

It is understood there have been no club-to-club talks yet, but the idea “has approval at all levels within Arsenal”.

Vinicius Jr is into the last 12 months of his contract after eight seasons at Real Madrid.

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, is desperate to upgrade his left wing options ahead of next season.

Transfer: Arsenal in shock move to sign Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid

Super Falcons duo Francisca Ordega, and Osinachi Ohale will be targeting a record sixth title with the team at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, DAILY POST reports.

Ordega and Ohale currently hold the record for most titles (five)in the history of the competition.

The duo have been named in Nigeria’s squad for the WAFCON titles by head coach Justine Madugu.

Ohale has established herself as one of the best defenders in Africa.

The 34-year-old has made 81 appearances for the Super Falcons with four goals to her name.

Ordega has scored seven times in 26 outings for the 10-time African champions.

WAFCON 2026: Ohale, Ordega targets record sixth title with Super Falcons

Algeria defender, Aissa Mandi has said that Argentina captain, Lionel Messi expressed regret for a rough tackle on him during the South Americans’ 3-0 victory in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup last month.

After scoring the first goal in the 17th minute, Messi narrowly avoided a potential red card for a studs-up challenge on Mandi’s calf just 14 minutes later. 

The captain of Albiceleste went on to net two additional goals in the second half, making him the oldest player to score a hat-trick in World Cup history.

Nevertheless, Messi might not have remained on the field to achieve this milestone had he been penalised for the challenge from behind that caught Mandi’s calf.

Referee Szymon Marciniak only issued a free-kick, and VAR did not intervene, prompting the Algerian Football Federation to file a formal complaint with FIFA.

Mandi commented on the incident (as reported by Trend EFL), “Messi recognized that he had made a mistake and quickly came over to apologise and check on my condition. I told the referee: ‘Look, that was a high tackle,’ and when I got back up, I indicated that VAR should review the play.”

He elaborated that he did not understand the seriousness of the tackle until he returned to the dressing room, stating,”The significant difference between you as spectators watching on screen and us on the field is that you see the replay and can gauge the force of the tackle within five seconds, while we do not have that advantage. 

“I certainly felt the impact, but I did not realize its severity until I was in the locker room, where I experienced intense pain and was informed: ‘That tackle deserved a red card; watch the replay.’”

Ultimately, the Albiceleste secured a 3-0 victory, with Messi scoring all three goals, bringing him level with Miroslav Klose (16) for the most goals in World Cup history.

World Cup: Messi realised his mistake, apologised to me – Algerian defender, Mandi

The International Olympic Committee, IOC, has turned down an ethics complaint against FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino.

The complaint was filed by FairSquare, a human rights organization.

FairSquare argued that Infantino broke rules about staying neutral in politics, especially concerning U.S. President Donald Trump.

Their claims included a controversial decision to let U.S.player Folarin Balogun off with a yellow card during a World Cup match and award Trump a FIFA peace prize.

On Friday, the IOC said they won’t start any official investigation or take disciplinary action against Infantino because of these claims.

In their statement, they explained, “The complaint mainly deals with how an international sports federation runs its operations, its ties with governments, and decisions about following competition rules—things that are not covered by the IOC’s Ethics Code.”

2026 World Cup: IOC speaks on investigating FIFA president, Infantino