Author: Favour Olatunbosun

Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Best Middle East Player at the 16th edition of the Globe Soccer Awards, held in Dubai on Sunday. The 40-year-old Al-Nassr forward beat strong competition from Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez and Salem Al-Dawsari to win the fan-voted award, which recognises outstanding performers across Middle Eastern leagues. Renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news on X, announcing Ronaldo as the winner. This latest honour marks Ronaldo’s second consecutive victory in the category, following his win in 2024, and further underlines his lasting impact since joining Al-Nassr in 2023. Despite being in the…

Calvin Bassey’s rise as one of Nigeria’s most dependable players has been highlighted by an impressive run of appearances that has made him a guaranteed starter for the Super Eagles in competitive matches. The Fulham defender is the only outfield player to have completed Nigeria’s last 13 competitive games without being substituted. Only goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has a longer run, having featured in the last 19 matches. Bassey has not been taken off since September 2024, when he was substituted during a 3–0 AFCON qualifying win over Benin. Since then, the 25-year-old has played every minute of key qualifiers and…

Ollie Watkins came off the bench to inspire Aston Villa to a crucial 2–1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, keeping their surprise Premier League title challenge firmly on track. The England striker, who had scored just three league goals before the match, made an instant impact after being introduced by Unai Emery in the second half. His brace secured Villa’s 11th consecutive league victory and lifted them back within three points of leaders Arsenal, whom they face next. Chelsea dominated much of the first half and went into the break deservedly ahead. Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez both came…

Cristiano Ronaldo continued his impressive scoring form on Thursday, netting two first-half goals to inspire Al Nassr to a dominant 3–0 victory over Al Akhdoud. The Al Nassr captain opened the scoring with a calm finish before adding his second goal before half-time, putting his side firmly in control of the match. The brace took Ronaldo’s career goal tally to an astonishing 956, further highlighting his lasting impact at the highest level. Al Nassr controlled the game from start to finish, enjoying most of the possession and limiting Al Akhdoud to very few attacking chances. Their dominance eventually paid off…

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted that replacing captain Bruno Fernandes will be extremely difficult after the midfielder was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Fernandes was forced off during United’s 2–1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday and will miss Friday’s Premier League clash against Newcastle at Old Trafford. According to BBC Sport, the Portugal international is expected to be sidelined for several matches, although Amorim said the injury is not a long-term one. While no exact return date has been given, sources suggest Fernandes could be fit in time for the Manchester derby against City on…

Tanzania head coach Miguel Gamondi has expressed cautious satisfaction with his team’s performance despite their 2–1 loss to Nigeria in their opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The Argentine coach, who took charge of the Taifa Stars just a month before the tournament, oversaw Tanzania’s 10th appearance at AFCON. However, the East Africans are still searching for their first-ever win at the competition. Nigeria took the lead in the first half through Semi Ajayi, but Tanzania responded positively after the break when Charles M’Mombwa scored the equaliser in the 50th minute. Their hopes were short-lived, though, as…

Nigeria’s youth scrabble captain, Sufiyan Boluwatife, emerged champion of the fifth edition of the Black Knight Closed Scrabble Championship held in Ilorin, Kwara State, after an intense one-day contest. Boluwatife showed composure and consistency throughout the tournament, fighting hard until the final round to finish top of the standings. He recorded six wins with an impressive cumulative score of +796, edging out defending champion Olawale Qudus, who also won six games but finished second with +303 points. The victory further underlines Boluwatife’s growing reputation in the sport. The youngster has previously captained Team Nigeria at the African Youth Scrabble Championships…

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has expressed strong confidence in Nigeria’s chances of winning the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, backing the team to reclaim the continental title for the first time since 2013. Mikel shared his belief on his The Obi One Podcast, stating that the current squad has what it takes to go all the way. His comments came just before Nigeria opened their Group C campaign with a 2–1 win over Tanzania, a result that boosted early confidence in the team. The victory placed the Super Eagles in a good position as they continue their…

Super Eagles defender Chidozie Awaziem says the team must take the positives from their friendly loss to Egypt. He stressed the match was key preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria lost 2-1 in Cairo. Egypt’s Mahmoud Saber and Mostafa Mohamed scored. Awaziem got Nigeria’s goal with a header before halftime. Match Serves as Key Preparation Awaziem called the high-profile friendly a necessary challenge. He told Super Eagles media it served a clear purpose. “It was a good test for us,” he said. “Egypt is not easy to play against. The point was to test ourselves before AFCON.…

Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have risen again. Reports now claim that DR Congo may face sanctions for fielding ineligible players during the African qualification playoffs. In November, DR Congo defeated the Super Eagles on penalties. That victory earned them Africa’s place in the Intercontinental Playoffs. However, new allegations could potentially reverse that result and reopen the door for Nigeria. Alleged Eligibility Violations Sources report that six DR Congo players failed to complete the proper nationality-switching procedures. Specifically, they reportedly did not formally renounce their previous citizenships. This is significant because DR Congo does not…