International Football
DALUNG THANKS CAF PRESIDENT FOR RUSSIA 2018 SUPPORT
Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung has thanked the President of the Confederation of African Football CAF, Ahmad for his support to the five African nations which qualified for the World Cup in Russia.
He was particularly thankful that Nigeria’s Super Eagles are beneficiaries of the assistance.
Dalung showed his gratitude in a meeting with Ahmad at the Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca in Morocco where Nigeria’s Super Eagles Team B are currently taking part in the African Championship.
The CAF President granted a financial subsidy of five hundred thousand US dollars to the five African teams which qualified for the World Cup in Russia to strengthen the technical supervision of the teams as well as a Fieldwiz equipment, a smart training bib that also measures the physical performance for outdoor team sports players.
The beneficiary teams are the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Senegal.
Dalung commended the CAF President for his vision in changing the face of CAF and African football.
‘I wish to thank you for turning around African football and giving it a facelift. Football in Africa today has been revolutionized and the effects of what we are seeing now are unprecedented.
“CAF now consists of a new generation of football administrators and I am happy too that we have a Nigerian in the person of Amaju Pinnick in the inner caucus of CAF.
“I thank you for supporting Nigeria with five hundred thousand dollars and an outdoor performance measurement equipment. This will assist the Nigeria Football Federation in preparing the Super Eagles for the World Cup.”
The CAF President Ahmad also praised Nigeria for qualifying for the quarter finals of CHAN adding that Nigeria has always been the cynosure of all eyes at African and World Cup tournaments.
“Nigeria has played an important role in African football and is the strongest African contender at the World Cup in Russia. CAF is backing Nigeria to make a mark at the 2018 World Cup. We must prepare our African teams to make us proud at the World Cup,”Ahmad said.
Also at the meeting was President of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick, the Nigerian Ambassador to Morocco, Edward Pakwok and Mrs Alabi Loveth Funmilayo, a staff of the Ministry.
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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