Category: Sports

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 

Twenty-one players are now in the Super Eagles camp in Cairo, Egypt, as they continue preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Wilfred Ndidi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Akor Adams, Cyriel Dessers, Akor Adams, and Raphael Onyedika were the latest arrivals at the team’s base at the Renaissance Hotel.

The new arrivals took part in the team’s first training session at the Cairo International Stadium on Monday night.

Seven more players are still expected to join the camp.

The Super Eagles will face the Pharaohs of Egypt in a friendly Tuesday.

Players in camp:
Francis Uzoho
Stanley Nwabali
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru
Akinsanmiro Ebenezer
Amas Obasogie
Semi Ajayi
Ademola Lookman
Bright Osayi-Samuel
Igho Ogbu
Tochukwu Nnadi
Zaidu Sanusi
Paul Onuachu
Frank Onyeka
Calvin Bassey
Alex Iwobi
Wilfred Ndidi
Bruno Onyemaechi
Cyril Dessers
Akor Adams
Chidera Ejuke
Raphael Onyedika

AFCON 2025: Super Eagles step up preparation with 21 players 

Osun United head coach Akinade Onigbinde has commended his players’ performance despite the defeat to Akwa United.

The Omoluabi giants went down 1-0 to Akwa United at the Uyo Township Stadium on Monday, with Daniel Gothom’s early goal securing maximum points for the visitors.

Onigbinde is confident that the team will improve with continued effort.

“Picking points away will soon be realised if this momentum is sustained,” Onigbinde told the club’s media.

Osun United have recorded two wins and four defeats in six matches this season, occupying the ninth position in the NNL Conference B table.

NNL: Osun United will get better with more games — Onigbinde

Abia Warriors technical adviser Imama Amapakabo has praised striker Suraj Lawal for his contribution to the win over Kun Khalifat FC.

Lawal scored the goal that secured a 1-0 victory for Abia Warriors at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Sunday. He has now found the net in back-to-back games for the Umuahia-based side.

Amapakabo is confident that the player can improve further with more game time.

“He has too much to give but I think his end point had always been his goal scoring,” Amapakabo told the club’s media.

“We are working on that with him because he does too much outside the box, he had too many goals to score with his ability.”

Lawal has registered two goals for Abia Warriors in this campaign.

NPFL: Amapakabo hails Abia Warriors goal scorer in win over Kun Khalifat

Fulham head coach Marco Silva has admitted that the club will miss Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Iwobi, Bassey and Chukwueze departed for AFCON duty following the Cottagers’ 3-2 victory over Burnley on Saturday. The trio could be away for up to a month, depending on Nigeria’s progress in the competition.

Silva acknowledged the importance of the three players but noted that it presents an opportunity for others to step up.

“We are talking about three important players. I will not hide their importance, but you cannot change it. It was in the schedule and we knew it. Now is the time for others to step in, show their quality, and prove that we can trust them,” Silva told the club’s official website.

Nigeria will begin their campaign against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania next Tuesday.

AFCON 2025: We will miss Iwobi, Bassey, Chukwueze — Fulham boss Silva 

The Nigeria National League, NNL, has rescheduled two matches in Matchday Day Seven of Conference A and B.

The fixture between Stormers SC and Rovers FC, originally scheduled for Saturday, December 20, will now take place on Friday, December 19, 2025. The encounter will be held at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Abeokuta.

Meanwhile, the Matchday Six fixture between Smart City and Heartland, which had been put on hold, will now be played on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.

All remaining matches in the groups will proceed according to the original schedule..

NNL announces new date for Week 6, 7 fixtures