International Football
NEW BOOK ON SUPER EAGLES UNVEILS HIDDEN FACTS OF NIGERIAN FOOTBALL
Nigeria has undoubtedly made major marks in global football with Nigerian teams hitting notable milestone as first side outside Europe to win the Olympic Games gold medal in 68 years following the exploits of Kanu Nwankwo-led Dream Team exploits of 1996.
That is not all, the Nigerian U23 football team also became the first in the world to win gold, silver and bronze medal of the Olympic Games three years ago before Brazil later on the same day equalled the mark.
Those and more are the marks of the Nigerian football on the global scene that most football followers may not have noticed.
Those are just the tips on the iceberg as the upcoming book, “Super Eagles@70; Soaring on the Wings” unveils the hidden treasure of information on Nigeria’s national team.
Written by Kunle Solaja, the book is easily a major Nigerian contribution to global football literature. Some intriguing revelation are made. For instance, while it may be known that Nigeria’s first national team was composed in 1949, the actual date may not have been known before now.
The latest work of football historian, Kunle Solaja has revealed the fact. The book reveals the first player to score a hat trick for the national team.
Some other issues that got answered include Nigeria’s first scorer in a World Cup qualifying match; the first scorer in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series; the first match in which the offside rule was first applied in Nigeria among others.
There are more. The book offers the information on the first time the Nigeria national team wa involved in a tie-breaker, penalty shootout and the first Nigerian player to be expelled at an international match.
The own-goal scored by Godwin Odiye in 1977 is always evergreen. But the new book on the Super Eagles has revealed that Odiye was not the first culprit.
Probably, many may not have known that the creator of the red and yellow card in football had refereed in Nigeria. The new book that will be available to the public later this December makes the revelation.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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