Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, has made a change to his 23-man Super Eagles squad ahead of the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Forward Nathan Tella, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, has been ruled out due to injury and will miss the upcoming fixtures. To fill the gap, coach Chelle has called up defender Jordan Torunarigha. The team confirmed the change on Thursday morning, wishing Tella a swift recovery. “Jordan Torunarigha has been called to replace injured Nathan Tella. We wish Nathan a quick recovery,” the team announced on their X account. This adjustment comes…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has explained why he chose not to let Endrick take the final penalty in their 4-2 shootout victory over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League round of sixteen on Wednesday. The experienced Italian coach revealed that the original plan was for the Brazilian youngster to take the decisive penalty. However, after noticing Endrick’s facial expression, Ancelotti decided to shift the responsibility to someone more confident—Antonio Rüdiger. Speaking to the press after the game, Ancelotti shared his reasoning: “On the final penalty, there was a doubt about who should take it between Rüdiger and…
Amaju Pinnick, the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), lost his bid to retain his seat on the FIFA Council during the Confederation of African Football (CAF) General Assembly elections in Cairo on March 12, 2025. He was defeated by a single vote. Souleiman Waberi of Djibouti emerged victorious with 29 votes, narrowly beating Pinnick, who received 28 votes. Pinnick had been a member of FIFA’s decision-making body since 2021. The election reshaped Africa’s representation in FIFA, with other winners including Fouzi Lekjaa of Morocco (49 votes), Hani Rida of Egypt, and Djibrilla Hamidou of Niger (35 votes…
Eight teams remain in the hunt to become the fourth-ever winners of UEFA’s Conference League. The quarter-final draw, made alongside the last-16 ties last month, has now set the matchups for the next stage. The semi-finals were also drawn at the same time, completing the entire knockout bracket. Chelsea remain strong favorites to lift the trophy this season. After overcoming Copenhagen in the last 16, Enzo Maresca’s side will now face Legia Warsaw in the quarter-finals. Real Betis and two-time Conference League finalists Fiorentina are expected to pose the toughest challenge to Chelsea’s continental ambitions, but the Blues cannot meet…
Santos president Marcelo Teixeira has described Neymar as “happy,” “joyful,” and “committed” to his Brazilian boyhood club, despite growing rumors linking him to European clubs. Neymar returned to Vila Belmiro during the winter window after an underwhelming stint at Al Hilal, signing a short-term contract until June 30. A serious ACL injury interrupted his 18-month spell in Saudi Arabia, but his strong start back in Brazil has caught the attention of clubs across Europe. Barcelona, where Neymar previously played, has been heavily linked with re-signing the winger, while Bayern Munich has also emerged as an unexpected contender. However, Santos is…
Liverpool are reportedly considering Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck as a potential summer target amid ongoing uncertainty over Virgil van Dijk’s future. Van Dijk’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and he recently stated that anyone claiming to know his future plans is “lying,” adding that he has no idea whether he will remain at the club next year. This was followed by reports suggesting a significant contract offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, which Van Dijk is reportedly contemplating. With the possibility of losing Van Dijk this summer, Liverpool have started exploring…
The full line-up for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals has been confirmed following the conclusion of the Round of 16 ties on Wednesday night. Aston Villa will face Paris Saint-Germain in the opening quarter-final clash. Unai Emery’s side took full advantage of their numerical superiority to secure a dominant 3-0 victory over Club Brugge, with Marco Asensio netting twice and Ian Maatsen also getting on the scoresheet. PSG progressed to the quarter-finals after a dramatic 4-1 win in a penalty shootout against Liverpool, with the aggregate score level at 1-1. In the second quarter-final, Inter Milan will take on Bayern…
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has expressed disbelief over the VAR decision that played a pivotal role in his team’s Champions League elimination on Wednesday night. Julian Alvarez’s penalty was disallowed by VAR during the shootout against Real Madrid, a crucial moment that shifted the momentum in favor of the Spanish giants, who went on to win 4-2. Alvarez took the fourth penalty for Atletico Madrid, following successful kicks from Kylian Mbappe, Alexander Sorloth, and Jude Bellingham. Although he appeared to slip before striking the ball, he managed to find the top corner of the net. However, the shootout was…
Victor Osimhen has emphasized the Super Eagles’ strong determination to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Under coach Eric Chelle, the team is yet to register a win in the qualifying campaign, having earned three draws and one defeat from their first four matches. As a result, Nigeria currently sits in fifth place in Group C with three points. With crucial games against Rwanda and Zimbabwe ahead, the Super Eagles must win both to revive their qualification hopes. “It’s a dream for every footballer to play at the World Cup, and given our position in the group,…
Ronaldo de Lima has officially withdrawn his candidacy for the presidency of the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF). The Brazilian football legend, who netted 62 goals for his country and helped them reach three consecutive World Cup finals between 1994 and 2002—winning twice—had planned to challenge incumbent Ednaldo Rodrigues in the 2026 election. However, less than three months after announcing his candidacy, the 48-year-old has decided to step down from the race. In a statement posted on his social media accounts, Ronaldo explained that 23 of the 27 federations that make up the CBF showed no interest in hearing his presidential…