Nigerian Football
Nigeria’s league chieftain, Shehu Dikko hails Budweiser as John Terry, Roberto Carlos Excite Football Fans at Budweiser Game of Kings
The much-anticipated Budweiser Game of Kings between Kings FC featuring former Chelsea and England skipper, John Terry, and Smooth FC, led by former Real Madrid and Brazil legend, Roberto Carlos, held on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.
Tagged, “Battle of the Greats” the high-profile match was preceded by a press conference and dinner to announce and celebrate the arrival of the football legends at the Lagos Continental Hotel in Lagos.
Premium lager, Budweiser, a product of International Breweries Plc who are a proud part of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer with over 400 beer brands had earlier revealed plans to have Terry and Carlos in Nigeria to play alongside select players from the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL)
Speaking during the Press Conference, Marketing Director, International Breweries Plc, Tolulope Adedeji said, “Budweiser recognises football as a unifier of Nigerians all over the world. As a brand that has always supported and promoted the beautiful game, we were resolute about giving our people a unique and unforgettable experience around the game they love so much, and that’s why we came with Budweiser Game of Kings.”
Budweiser Game of Kings was watched by an excited crowd of spectators in adherence to the World Health Organisation and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guide on outdoor events.
The absorbing contest saw the duo of Carlos and Terry display some of the skills that set them apart as football greats and gave fans a dose of their signature moves which attracted chants of “JT” and “Carlos” from various parts of the stadium.
An overly excited fan said, “I can’t believe I am watching Roberto Carlos and John Terry live. This is a dream come true and I will mark today in my calendar as the greatest day of my life.”
The match was decided on penalties after ending in a goalless draw at the end of 90 minutes. At the end of the spot-kicks, Smooth FC emerged winners after edging out Kings FC out by four goals to two.
Roberto Carlos received the trophy as Team Captain of Smooth FC while John Terry lifted the trophy on behalf of Kings FC as the Team Captain from Managing Director, International Breweries Plc, Hugo Rocha, amid thunderous cheers and jubilation from supporters at the stadium.
Chairman, League Management Company, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, who led other officials to see the match said, “Budweiser is a global brand that sponsors some of the biggest leagues in the world and them partnering with the NPFL is a great step. This event will raise awareness and create value for the NPFL, and other brands will start looking at the league for partnership.”
L-R: Marketing Director, International Breweries Plc (IBPLC), Tolulope Adedeji; Budweiser Smooth FC Team Captain, International Football Legend, Roberto Carlos; NFF vice-president / Chairman, League Management Company, Shehu Diko; MD/CEO, International Breweries PLC (IBPLC), Hugo Dias Rocha and Budweiser Kings FC Team Captain, International Football Legend, John Terry during the trophy presentation to the two captains at the Budweiser Game of Kings Football Match in Lagos
Marketing Manager, Budweiser, Olajumoke Okikiolu attributed the large turnout of fans to the love of football, the love for the legends, and the love for the King of Beers, Budweiser.
According to Okikiolu, “The excitement is palpable; you can feel how much the fans love their football idols. The match was competitive and it was hard for anyone to predict who would win the game. The Team Managers also showed their tactical knowledge of the game through their changes to formations and players during the game.”
Speaking to the media, John Terry said, “It was a great game of football and Carlos and I have had a memorable experience playing with the amazing talents from the Nigerian League. We hope we inspired kids on the streets who watched the game or listened on the radio. I want to thank Budweiser for putting this together.
Fans were treated to performances from MI Abaga, Ycee, Johnny Drille, Teni, Mayokun, and Teni. Some of the high-profile guests at the event were former Super Eagles player, Mutiu Adepoju, popularly called the ‘Head Master’. Veteran journalists Mitchell Obi and Harry Iwuala; brand ambassadors Ebuka, and Ozomena; popular TV host Frank Edohor, among others.
Budweiser is the official sponsor of the English Premier League (EPL) and the Spanish La Liga.
The Nigeria U17 women’s team has been given incentives to make it to the Women’s World Cup for the eighth time.
The team, Flamingos, who arrived in Algiers in the early hours of Wednesday aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul, are highly inspired by the imminence of another FIFA World Cup ticket as well as further financial windfall from the Nigeria Football Federation and billionaire business mogul Kunle Soname.
Soname gifted the young players and their officials the sum of N4 million (one million naira for every goal) following their commanding win over the North Africans at the Remo Stars Stadium on Saturday, while the NFF gave out the sum of N2 million (five hundred thousand naira for every goal).
President of NFF, Ibrahim Musa Gusau and Soname have both confirmed that the same financial incentives are in place for the second leg in Blida on Friday.
“Our objective is clear – to win the FIFA World Cup ticket. That is the big motivation.
“Yet, we have been further incentivised by the monetary rewards. My girls will go all out on Friday night,” Head Coach Bankole Olowookere said.
Olowookere, who led the Flamingos to their last two World Cup ventures, will most likely rely on first-leg two-goal heroine Queen Joseph, lone-goal scorer Zainab Raji and Kaosarat Olanrewaju to start at the fore, with Shakirat Moshood, Muinat Rotimi and Philomena Isaiah supplying the passes from the midfield.
Goalkeeper and captain Christiana Uzoma and defenders Azeezat Oduntan, Hannah Ibrahim, Christiana Sunday and Jumai Adebayo are also likely to start.
The Confederation of African Football has selected Cameroonian official Marie Noelle Etong to be the referee, with her compatriots Marcelle Teikeu and Innocentia Ntangti as assistant referee 1 and fourth official, respectively, while Chadian Ngarassoum Victorine will be assistant referee 2.
Oumou Souleymane Kane from Mauritania will be the commissioner, and Sabelo Maphosa-Sibindi from Zimbabwe will be in the role of referee assessor.
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Former president of the initially 15-member West African Football Union (WAFU), Chief Jonathan Boytie Ogufere, has expressed his heartfelt condolences over the recent death of former national team captain and coach, Christian ‘Chairman’ Chukwu.
He remarked that the erstwhile Enugu Rangers’ defence stalwart will ‘be dearly missed’. In a personally signed letter of condolence, Ogufere described Chukwu, who died on Saturday, April 12, in Enugu after a brief illness at 74, as a ‘hero of our time and a friend’.
The nonagenarian recalled with nostalgia how he nearly recruited the young Chukwu for his P & T Vasco da Gama Football Club of Enugu, adding he was impressed with how the ‘Field Marshal Christian Chukwuemeka ‘Chairman ‘ Chukwu (MFR), conducted himself throughout his career as he led both the national team, the then Green Eagles and his beloved Enugu Rangers to many conquests.
“I join numerous others to mourn the transition of the legendary Christian Chukwu, a hero of our time and friend,” the Ugbugba of Okpe Kingdom wrote.
“As one of the young academicals discovered after the end of the Civil War in 1970, I tried to enlist into my club, the P & T Vasco da Gama Football Club of Enugu but he was fair and frank in informing me that he had already joined Enugu Ranges Football Club, and I respected that attitude. From the rivalries between the two clubs, his exploits as a central defender were very visible.”
He continued: “Christian Chukwu emerged at the national level as a trustworthy and formidable captain of the national team who led by example.
“He was one of the heroes during the Golden age of Nigerian football when I was one of the Board Members of the Nigeria Football Association under the chairmanship of Chief Sunday Dankaro as Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980 for the first time where Christian Chukwu as captain of the Green Eagles was declared the best player of the tournament. He led the national team in several battles, which endeared him to millions of football lovers.
“After his playing days, he showed his talents through coaching in Nigeria and abroad.
“I express my sincere condolences to the family he left behind, the football family and the country in general. He will be dearly missed.
“May the good Lord grant his noble soul eternal rest,” he noted.
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Remo Stars are coasting to what will be their greatest moment ever, a win of the Nigeria Premier Football League title, as they recorded a 1-0 win over Shooting Stars in Ibadan in a match played behind closed doors.
In doing so, they achieved their sixth double of the season, having earlier beaten Shooting Stars in the first stanza of the league.
They maintained the seven-point lead over second-placed Rivers United, who also beat Sunshine Stars 1-0 in Port Harcourt.
After a ding-dong affair, Alex Oyowah scored the vital goal for Remo Stars from a right-wing cross from Ismail Sodiq.
In another match, Ikorodu City continued to work tenaciously to obtain a continental ticket as they held El Kanemi to a 1-1 draw.
SUNDAY RESULTS
- El Kanemi 1-1 Ikorodu City
- Niger Tornados 1-1 Bayelsa United
- Heartland 0-0 Kwara United
- Plateau United 1-0 Akwa United
- Rivers United 1-0 Sunshine Stars
- Shooting Stars 0-1 Remo Stars
- Bendel United 1-1 Nasarawa United
SATURDAY
- Katsina United 0-0 Abia Warriors
- Enyimba 2-1 Kano Pillars
- Lobi Stars 2-4 Enugu Rangers
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