Arsenal legend Ian Wright has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo following the legendary forward’s performances at Euro 2024....Read Full Article

Wright said that Ronaldo simply cannot deal with the level of competition at these stages.

Ronaldo came to Germany on the back of a season that saw him bag 35 Saudi Pro League goals.

He, however, failed to influence his team’s performances.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright said, via GOAL, “The way he played in Euro 2024, as great as he’s been, surely Diogo Jota must be disappointed that he couldn’t get on the pitch. What I saw of him, he can’t cut it at this level now.”

Ronaldo will be over 40 years old when Portugal play their next major tournament being the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It is unlikely he will play a major role in that competition.

As the count -down to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics in France gathers momentum, plans are underway to hold a pre- Olympics Seminar at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) Lagos....Read Full Article

According to the Director-General of the National Institute for Sports Professor Olawale Moronkola, “The Olympics is sports greatest Fiesta which brings together diverse people of the world under an atmosphere of friendship. As a sports Institute, we decided to partner with Newstap Communication to provide a platform to discuss Team Nigeria preparations and how to leverage on the benefits of the Olympics. As a research and training institute, we have a responsibility to provide quality training and research information that will help our athletes perform well at the games. We are not just interested in mere academic exercise, but to provide scientific information to help our team perform well at the event.”

The one -day Seminar which will take place at the Conference Hall of the NIS on July 16th 2024 will attract

Ex Olympians, athletes and other sports stakeholders who will be speaking on preparations for the games.

Professor Moronkola further stated that this collaboration with Newstap Media Ltd is in line with the renewed vision of NIS to partner with other organizations to promote sports development in the

country.

Founder of the online media platform Newstap, George Aluo affirmed…”We have been at the forefront of championing Nigerian sports growth over the years, so this is another way to raise the bar. We believe that the objectives of this seminar will be beneficial to the strategic role of using sports as vehicle for national development.”

Super Falcons star, Jennifer Echegini has officially announced her departure from Italian club, Juventus....Read Full Article

Echegini only joined the Bianconeri in January after leaving American club, Florida State Seminoles.

The midfielder announced her departure through the social media.
“I wanted to take this moment and share my gratitude for the time we have shared. Despite all that may have been said I’m extremely grateful to have been part of this family,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Living and playing in Turin has been an amazing journey filled with a lot of growing and learning for me. I will cherish these memories and carry them on to my next journey.

“Thank you to my teammates and coaches for making me feel part of the family. Working alongside dedicated and inspiring women has been the most rewarding experience. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

“Lastly, thank you for your unwavering support throughout the season.”

The 23-year-old registered 10 goals and one assist for Juventus.

Echegini won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the best U-23 player in the Serie A last season.

She is currently with the Super Falcons squad for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have kickstarted preparations for their first appearance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in 16 years, as their camp in the city of Jerez de la Frontera outside Sevilla has come alive with most of the invited players in camp....Read Full Article

With 12 players at breakfast on Monday, Team Administrator Mary Oboduku told thenff.com that two more players were being expected at the team’s Hotel Barceló Montecastillo Golf and Resort by Monday afternoon.

“We started training on Sunday, and the camp is calm. The players are in very high spirits as they look forward to the tournament in France,” Oboduku told thenff.com.

Team captain Rasheedat Ajibade and first-choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie are at the head of the squad already in camp, with goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Chidinma Okeke and Nicole Payne, midfielders Christy Ucheibe, Toni Payne, Deborah Abiodun and Jennifer Echegini, and forward Esther Okoronkwo also in. Alternate players, goalkeeper Morufa Ademola and forward Gift Monday are also in camp.

Defenders Osinachi Ohale and Michelle Alozie were being expected at the team’s hotel Monday afternoon.

The nine-time African champions, who last played at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in China in 2008, will take on reigning Olympic champions Canada in a training match in Sevilla on Wednesday, 17th July.

Four players are tied on three goals each at Euro 2024....Read Full Article

However, only Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo is still in the tournament.

That means, unless another player scores two or more goals, just one more goal from Gakpo would bring him the Golden Boot.

The other players with three goals are Georges Mikautadze of Georgia, Jamal Musiala of Germany and Ivan Schranz of Slovakia.

Of the 11 players with two goals, five are still in the tournament.

They include Gakpo’s international team-mate, Donyell Malen, as well as two players apiece for Spain and England.

The Delta State government will today present an 18-seater bus to the Zenith Bank Principals’ Cup Champions 2023, Umuaja Mixed Secondary School....Read Full Article

Recall that Umuaja Mixed Secondary school defeated Government College Ughelli 2-0 to emerge champions of the 6th edition of the competition sponsored by Zenith Bank in partnership with the government of Delta State, December 1, 2023  .

Secretary to the state government , Kingsley Emu, is expected to present the bus to the school on behalf of Zenith Bank, the sponsors.

The event billed for the Delta State secretariat takes place at 10am with the commissioner, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu and the permanent secretary, Sir Austin Oghoro, expected in attendance.

Top shots of the sponsors led by the Regional Head, Mr Lucky Ighale and Main Branch Head, Mr. Ifeanyi Atama, will also be at the ceremony.

Project Consultant and CEO of Hideaplus, Tony Pemu, told newsmen on Monday that the victorious school will be led by Principal,  F Akpotowho, just as the team captain Ifeakachuckwu Odinisu will be at the secretariat for the brief ceremony.

Pemu said: “Everything is set. It is an annual thing. The winner of the past editions also collected a bus as part of the prizes. We are happy as we have also started plans for the 2024 edition of the competition taking place later in the year.

“We thank the Delta State Government and the sponsors, Zenith Bank, for giving these young ones something to look forward to every year.”

Former Chelsea star, Chris Sutton, has slammed Portugal coach, Roberto Martinez, for not dropping Cristiano Ronaldo during their quarter final clash with France....Read Full Article

Sutton was furious that the Spaniard did not drop the football icon despite his poor performances.

Martinez was a coward and did not think about the team according to Sutton.

He wrote on the Daily Mail: “I’m looking at Roberto Martinez, someone with such a lack of backbone that I’m surprised he’s standing up straight in the technical area.

“He almost seems scared to axe Ronaldo, who might as well be named Portugal’s manager with the amount of carte blanche he is being gifted in Germany.

“Eventually, a manager must realise when a player is not benefiting the team, no matter who it is. You have to be brave enough to make difficult decisions without worrying whom you might upset.

“Nobody is disputing that Ronaldo had the most magnificent career imaginable. But on Monday night, he looked like the kid who brings the ball down to the local park and then when he’s had enough, he sticks it up his jumper and goes home so no one else can play.”

Flying Eagles striker Emmanuel Umeh has signed a five-year contract with top Swiss club FC Zurich....Read Full Article

The 19-year-old forward moved to Switzerland from Bulgarian club Botev Plodiv, where he moved to two years ago from Russian club FDC Vista.

The worth of the transfer was not disclosed.

The Right2Win graduate featured for the Flying Eagles at last year’s FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina.

Rio Ferdinand has slammed critics of Portugal legend, Cristiano Ronaldo....Read Full Article

There have been calls for the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star to leave the national team, following a very poor performance at the European championships.

Ferdinand wonders why Ronaldo’s critics do not attack Lionel Messi, who is not also having the best of times at Copa America.

He said that though the Portugal captain did not do well in Germany, but it has been the same for the Argentine at Copa America.

Ferdinand said on Vibe with Five that the critics have been disrespectful of Ronaldo.

“He [Ronaldo] didn’t have a good tournament. He didn’t play well to the levels that he played [before]. You are [being disrespectful when you say he must leave the national team].

“For what he’s done, you can’t be saying that, I don’t care. They [should] just let him go out, when he wants to go out.

“What was Portugal doing before Cristiano Ronaldo? Messi hasn’t scored in the Copa America and I haven’t heard a sniff.”

Sports development minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, has charged Nigerian athletes to compete favorably and achieve podium performances at the forthcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France....Read Full Article

He gave the charge yesterday in Abuja during the official handover and farewell ceremony of the Team Nigeria contingent to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He urged the contingent to strive for podium feat at the Games, emphasizing the importance of hard work and dedication.

He announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has fully approved the budget for the Games, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to excellence in sports. He therefore tasked members of Team Nigeria to make the President and the entire country proud in Paris.

“We have no excuse whatsoever,” said Senator Enoh. “The President has approved the entire budget for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, so it is up to us to try to reciprocate the goodwill of the President and give him reasons to continue to do more. It is not the first time he has done this. In December, he did the same for our male and female football teams by paying backlogs of salaries. He has done the same for our contingent going to the Olympics and Paralympics.”

Senator Enoh also highlighted the importance of the foreign training tours for different sports, aimed at ensuring the physical, technical, and tactical readiness of the athletes for the Games.

“Given the effort of both the Government and the Ministry, as well as well-meaning agencies, it is important that the athletes involved in this national call of duty regard themselves as performing an ambassadorial function, as ambassadors of Nigeria. We expect discipline, honesty, commitment, and responsibility to perform creditably well for podium placements.”

“Our expectations are high, and given my interactions with our athletes, I have no doubt that these expectations will be met,” he added.

The event was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, Atinuke Watti, President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Abu Gumel, President of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, Charge  D’affaire  of the France Embassy in Nigeria, sports federations presidents, among others.

The ceremony also featured the official unveiling of Team Nigeria’s kits to be used in Paris.