International Football
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: NIGERIA RULE THE WORLD
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The boys have become men and have all retired as footballers. It is 35 years today when a group of 16 Nigerian teenagers, hitherto unheralded as they left the shores of the country, stunned the world by becoming the inaugural winners of the FIFA U 16 tournament.
In so doing, they became the first team outside Europe and South America to win a FIFA competition.
So unexpected was their feat that it was speculated that the withdrawal of the maiden sponsors, Kodak, was linked to the emergence of underdogs as champions.
It was considered not too good for the marketing of Kodak, then a leading brand in photography. Kodak withdrew its sponsorship after the first edition. The second edition in Canada was sponsored by JVC.
The yet to be nicknamed Nigerian side on this date, 11 August 1985, sparked what could be easily termed as the biggest national jubilation even till date.
So overwhelming was their feat that the then military ruler, now the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari cut short his vacation to receive the players.
He later nicknamed the squad, “Golden Eaglets”, a nomenclature that has remained even 35 years later.
Even FIFA in its technical report was flowery in describing the exploits of the Nigerian gallant players.
Strength, skill and a willingness to attack were the three main ingredients used in describing the team, which outclassed West Germany 2-0 to win the inaugural FIFA Under 16 tournament in China.
On their way to winning the first of their five titles, the Nigerians proved themselves superior in virtually all facets of the game.
The Golden Eaglets coasted through the first round with a 1-0 victory over Italy, a 3-0 win against Costa Rica and a draw with Saudi Arabia, then stepped up a gear to brush aside Hungary (3-1) in the quarter-finals. They came back down to earth against Guinea, but scraped through on penalties (4-2), before triumphing over West Germany in the Final.
In the final match with the then West Germany, the game was just four minutes old when Jonathan Akpoborie shot Nigeria ahead and held on tenaciously to the tender lead till the closing minutes of the game.
In a counter attack, Victor Igbinoba broke away and scored the second goal to seal a 2-0 victory for Nigeria.
Jonathan Akpoborie and Victor Igbinoba scored the all-important goals for Nigeria.
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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