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Tag: Super Eagles

  • Super Eagles official barber Joshua eyes Guinness book world record for longest haircut

    Super Eagles official barber Joshua eyes Guinness book world record for longest haircut

    Super Eagles of Nigeria official barber Mr. Aiyenuro Joshua of T-Jos signature is eyeing the Guinness Book record for the longest haircut in the world.  

    He is expected to embark on a “barbing marathon” between June 10 – 17, 2025 at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja.

    Joshua was unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja by the leadership of the African Civil Society Forum (AFRICSOF) who are collaborating with T-Jos Signature to drive and actualise continental vision of African Youths.

    Speaking during the unveiling, President of AFRICSOF, Amb. Blessing Akinlosotu disclosed that the move was intentional to make a strategic departure from the conventional programming and activities of regular Civil Society, to a partnership venture to promote and manage a young and talented African with lofty aspirations of setting a World Record in the Guinness Book at a Barbing Marathon for the longest haircut in the world.

    He stated, “We are gathered here today to formally unveil and celebrate this noble hearted youth in the person of Mr. Aiyenuro Joshua of T-Jos Signature, who is an official barber of the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    “Africa is highly endowed and renowned for young population, strength, resilience and high survival instinct, yet out of the 60,000 records holders as at year 2022, in this prestigious book, Africa and Africans can only boast of a very insignificant number of listings, with the giant and big brother Nigeria having less than 50. 

    “This has become an open challenge to us in AFRICSOF, explaining the passion, energy, and resources we intend to invest and mobilize for this Project.

    Read Also: Akpeyi: Super Eagles lack South Africa’s quality

    “AFRICSOF and T-Jos has already started looking and working beyond the Phase One of Record Setting, to the Phase Two of Pet Projects designs and implementation, that would break Skill Acquisition Records in Africa, and Campaigns that are targeted at pragmatically challenging status quo of low Self-esteem and poor Self-Actualisation among the African Youth, equaling confronting some strong Social Vices such as Drug Abuse, Illegal Migration and Internet Crime.

    “We call on both the Public and Organised Private Sectors, with all well-meaning Nigerians and Africans to join forces with AFRICSOF towards achievement of this dream for this determined young man in particular, the Country and our beloved Continent in general.

    “This is the kind of News item the Media should promote vigorously and sacrificially. Religious Establishments equally should view this Project as perfectly aligning with the divine mandate of Human Character Building and National Transformation. 

    “It has already started receiving endorsements from Celebrities, Superstars and relevant Establishments. We request for more, if not all, hands to be on deck for this.

    “This dream must not die, this agenda must not fail. We owe it as a duty to the young people of Africa to use this as a deliberate Special Project Vehicle (SPV) to birth a Skillset and Talent Re-Awakening across Africa, to globally reposition our youth with a never-say-die spirit to conquer the world, break existing records and set new ones across all and every aspect of human endeavours.”

  • Super Eagles: Toro warns against distraction for Chelle

    Super Eagles: Toro warns against distraction for Chelle

    Former secretary-general of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Alhaji Sani Toro, has challenged football stakeholders in the country to allow coach Eric Sekou Chelle to concentrate on the job of qualifying the Super Eagles  for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    With the Chelle  came under attacks  following  the  failure of the Super Eagles to bag victory at home to Zimbabwe in  his second match in charge of the national team.

    Having missed the last Mundial in Qatar, the Super Eagles’  qualification path for World Cup 2026 is shaky after the first six matches of the qualifiers  with  some Nigerians already concluding  that Chelle is not the messiah needed to deliver the World Cup ticket.

    However, Toro, who was the NFA’s scribe when Nigeria qualified for its maiden World Cup appearance at USA ’94, affirmed that he remains optimistic of a ticket to next year’s World Cup that will be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.

    Toro added that Chelle will need total support from everyone in order to get the ticket though, it is beyond the Eagles at present.

    Read Also: NFF partners Nigerian Breweries,  Carloha boost Super Eagles

     “Let us not conclude that Nigeria is not going to qualify. I’ve said it before that Nigeria is going to qualify. Let’s pray for them, let’s support them, let’s give them all the necessary backing and pray for Nigeria to be at the World Cup,” Toro admonished.

    He continued by taking a look at the terms and conditions of Chelle’s contract with Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which he said  was not tied to picking the ticket  for next year’s World Cup.

    He noted:  “They have given the coach a target. Let him work towards it and qualify for the World Cup. Let’s give him enough support to achieve it. He should be given a free hand to select the players he knows can help him. We should not be dictating to him.”

     “If he succeeds, well and good, then his contract will be renewed. If he doesn’t succeed, definitely, he’s going to be fired. So, there’s a need for us to be positive about it to make sure we qualify,” Toro solicited.

  • Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification will be ‘fantastic shock’, says Fashanu

    Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification will be ‘fantastic shock’, says Fashanu

    Former  Wimbledon ace striker John Fashanu  believes the  Super Eagles are in a ‘difficult’  route  in their bid to secure  one of the continent’s automatic tickets  to the  2025 FIFA World Cup, adding it would be a ‘fantastic  shock’  should  the coach Eric Sekou Chelle-led side pull their chestnuts from the  fire to  qualify for the Mundial.

     The Super Eagles  remain in a’ distant’ fourth position in their CAF Group C section  after  securing just seven points from  six matches  and must now win  at least their remaining  four matches of the campaign to have a realistic chance of securing  the  group’s automatic ticket  or a possible second round play-off ticket depending on  final standings  of the  at the end of the qualifiers.

    Pressed to  comment on the chances of the Super Eagles, Fashanu  said it’s a  difficult mission.

    Read Also: NFF writes FIFA over Lesotho, Zimbabwe playing in South Africa

    “ You want an honest answer,” the former two-cap England International  asked rhetorically when cornered by journalists in Abeokuta yesterday. “ I think it’s going to be difficult.”

    Yet  Fashanu  who helped  Wimbledon to win the English FA Cup against all  odds against Liverpool  in the 1988 Finals, said it would be a pleasant  surprise if the Super Eagles  break the odds  to secure a ticket to World Cup 28 to be jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.

    “ It will be a ‘fantastic shock’  (if we win our last four matches to qualify for the World Cup),” Fashanu fondly called Fash-The-Bash in his heyday in England, stated.“ Otherwise, it’s a problem.”

    The Super Eagles will resume their campaign in September  with a home tie against Rwanda  before  travelling to Johannesburg to face top of the table side,  the Bafana Bafana  of South Africa.

  • Meet The Four-midales  Super Eagles In LaLiga

    Meet The Four-midales  Super Eagles In LaLiga

    With a history of three Africa Cup of Nations ( AFCON)  titles, Olympic gold and some wonderful performances at the FIFA World Cups,  Nigeria is a nation that has immense pride in the football heroes it has provided with so many of them  now flourishing in the European leagues. Currently, there is a  quartet squad of  Nigerian international  jostling  to emulate their illustrious predecessors  like  Ikechukwu Uche, Finidi George and Mutiu Adepoju as the  Super Eagles stars  continue to soar in the LaLiga EA Sports.

    Christantus Uche ( Getafe CF):

    Plucked from the third tier as a  21-year-old, any doubts about how Christantus Uche would fare in LaLiga EA Sports disappeared on the opening day of the season when he leapt up majestically for a towering header to equalize against Athletic Club.

    He followed that up with goals in impressive away wins against Real Sociedad and Girona FC. He’s also provided for others in attack and has played an instrumental role for Getafe CF who are on course to have their best league finish in five years.

    Uche came to the club as a midfielder but has been having even more of an impact as a striker. His versatility will help his manager Jose Bordalas as his squad depth gets tested in the final stretch of the season.

    Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC)

    After missing nine games in this campaign due to a hamstring injury, Sevilla FC will be left to wonder how much better their season would have been if Chidera Ejuke was available for more of it.

    Back in September, Ejuke provided Sevilla FC fans with one of their best moments of the season when he went on a run late in the game, shot across the goalkeeper and found a late winner.

    Read Also: NFF to organize Coach Educators’ programme in June

    He was also a match winner in one of their most impressive victories of the campaign away to Real Sociedad. He grabbed the only goal from long range on a day when he constantly troubled the home defence.

    Sevilla FC coach Garcia Pimienta has often used Ejuke as a second half substitute but after some impressive performances in his debut LALIGA season, the winger is making a stronger and stronger case to feature more in the starting team.

    Umar Sadiq  (Valencia CF)

    Valencia CF were in deep relegation trouble when Umar Sadiq was brought in January on loan from Real Sociedad. Now they sit six points clear of trouble after the striker has given them more of a focal point to play towards.

    It was Sadiq’s purple patch over February and March with four goals in four games that helped with the rising self-belief in the Valencia CF team.

    Sadiq’s ability as a goal scorer has never been in doubt (as he showed at UD Almeria when he first came to Spain), but he’s only given glimpses of his ability in his time at Real Sociedad.

    A period in new surroundings has clearly rejuvenated the 28-year-old where his good form earned him a recall to the Super Eagles squad in the last international break.

    Akor Adams (Sevilla FC).

    Signed in January to join his countryman Chidera Ejuke, Akor Adams has been eased into the Sevilla FC setup and shown plenty of promise to his new employers.

    Like Ejuke, Adams also sustained injury that made him unavailable for five games. After a couple of games being used off the bench, the centre forward made a big step in the last game against Atlético de Madrid when he made the team’s starting team for the first time.

    As a 25-year-old that has gained experience in Norway and France before coming to Spain, Adams has a bright future in a Sevilla FC squad that’s looking to rebuild for the future.

    With these four players making waves in Spain’s topflight, it’s clear that Nigerian talent continues to thrive on the LaLiga stage.

    As they chase for more goals and greatness, their journeys serve as motivation for the next generation of Super Eagles dreaming of European success. The legacy of Nigerian excellence in the LaLiga EA Sports is alive and the future looks even brighter.

  • Ekpo, Agali, other Ex-Eagles make ‘business trip’  to Spring Sky Finance  

    Ekpo, Agali, other Ex-Eagles make ‘business trip’  to Spring Sky Finance  

    In a remarkable blend of sports and finance, no fewer than eight former Super Eagles players paid a courtesy visit to Spring Sky Finance Company on Monday as part of a business engagement initiative.

    The football legends, who visited the bank’s headquarters in Ikoyi area of Lagos State, also took the opportunity to open accounts with the newly established digital bank.

    Among the football veterans present were Friday Ekpo, Festus Odini, MBA Edward Agbai, Godwin Okpara, Friday Elaho, Victor Agali, and Ameachi Nwanze—all of whom proudly represented Nigeria at various points in their illustrious careers.

    The visit coincided with Spring Sky Finance’s recent launch of its digital banking services, which are scheduled to formally commence on February 28 in Lagos. The company is positioning itself as a transformative force in Nigeria’s financial sector, promising improved loan accessibility and tailored credit solutions for businesses and individuals.

    Read Also: NFF selects participants for CAF B-License Coaching Course

    Dr. Helen Oritsejafor, Chairman of Spring Sky Finance, highlighted the bank’s mission to empower communities through innovative, customer-focused financial services.

    “With over 35 years of experience in banking, we are committed to delivering modern financial solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers,” Dr. Oritsejafor stated. “At Spring Sky, we embody the vitality and limitless possibilities of a spring sky.”

    The company’s digital banking strategy emphasizes financial inclusion, swift service delivery, and advanced technology integration, aiming to support macro, micro, and small business growth across Nigeria.

  • Super Eagles: Okocha warns on dangers of  missing  FIFA World Cup 26

    Super Eagles: Okocha warns on dangers of  missing  FIFA World Cup 26

    Former Nigeria International, Austin Okocha, has implored the current  senior men’s national team players to brace and do everything within their reach in the remaining 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,  adding  the country  cannot  yet miss another World Cup as it happened  at Germany 2006  and as recent as Qatar 2022.

    The former Paris Saint-Germain star, who led Nigeria during the qualifiers  for the 2006 edition in Germany,  said he  still carries the pain of failing to qualify for the Mundial.

    Despite boasting one of Africa’s strongest squads then, the Super Eagles lost their spot to Angola, falling short in a crucial qualifier in Kano which ended in a draw instead of the three points that would have been sufficient for the ticket.

    Read Also: First Lady closes African Women’s volleyball club championship

    “It is a dream for every player to play in the World Cup,” Okocha was quoted as saying during a recent Bundesliga roundtable discussion. “Personally, not qualifying for the 2006 World Cup still haunts me. I still feel bad whenever I remember it because it could have been my fourth.”

    Fast forward to today, and Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign is in similar danger. The Super Eagles sit fourth in Group C, trailing behind South Africa, Benin, and Rwanda, with only seven points from six games—a historically poor return for a nation that has qualified six times since its debut at USA ‘94.

    With world-class talent across the pitch, including Lookman (the reigning African Player of the Year), Osimhen (the 2023 winner), Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, and Victor Boniface, the current crop was expected to dominate after reaching the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final. Instead, they’re fighting to avoid heartbreak.

     “They will be very disappointed if they don’t make it,” Okocha warned. “People don’t realize sometimes that players are the ones that feel it the most—because it is their job, their dream.”

    Currently,  the Super Eagles  are in a distant  fourth position  in their  Group C  section after  the opening six round of matches  and the coach Eric Sekou Chelle-led side  must win their remaining  four matches  to have any realistic  chances of making  it to  next year’s World Cup to be jointly co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.

  • Let’s tell the truth

    Let’s tell the truth

    History never forgets. It pays a lot to tell the truth no matter whose ox is gored. I’ve read with pain how facts have been twisted on the issue of Algeria getting the three points back from Nigeria during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Super Eagles fielded Shehu Abdullahi in the last game in Algeria when he was ineligible due to two yellow cards he received before that game in Constantine, which ended 1-1, not forgetting John Ogu’s pile drive for the first goal.

    Indeed, the Algerians played the game under protest.  Jealously made them keep the facts to themselves, having seen Abdullahi dressed to play the match. He, interestingly played for 82 minutes before he was substituted. So, there was no need to present the protest letter out of time like Lesotho did before they eventually withdrew it, depending on the veracity of this withdrawal claim.

    In the ensuing wahala, it was discovered that FIFA sent our football federation a notice about Abdullahi’s ineligibility for the Algeria game. But in our usual style of dismissing issues, it slipped our memory to implement the FIFA notice. Perhaps, if we needed those points as we do now, we would have pulled our ears to do the right thing – drop Abdullahi from the game entirely. Besides, nobody got punished for the administrative slip simply because it didn’t cause Nigeria’s ouster from the 2018 World Cup held in Russia. Time was when the balls FIFA sent to affiliate soccer federations with Nigeria’s consignments stuck in the Nigerian port. Guess what, Nigeria had to use those balls owned by South Africa in a World Cup qualifier against Bafana Bafana. No prize for guessing correctly that the South Africans beat the Super Eagles in Uyo with their FFA-donated balls. Heads didn’t roll for this slip. It is what it is with the game’s administration in Nigeria.

    The critical aspect of the reminder notices is that it isn’t only common to FIFA. Last Friday, UEFA confirmed the eligibility of four key Real Madrid players for the Tuesday night Champions League game against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, which the Gunners won resoundingly 3-0. Arsenal served Real Madrid players enough plates of rice on Tuesday night to shock the world. Is this going to be Arsenal’s year to lift the UEFA Champions League diadem? We pray O Lord, Amen.

    A team that hasn’t been able to win a game from four home fixtures, has no business whatsoever participating during the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. No chance. Our players come here to prosecute our matches unable to reproduce their European clubs’ form. Yet, they return to Europe three or four days later to rule their world during matches scoring goals with aplomb. Did you say why? Of course, poor coaching at our national team level.

    Yet, when we are in the process of recruiting a competent coach for the Super Eagles, critics bring out their calculators to find out the naira equivalent of what these coaches are asking for. Ironically, 90 per cent of these critics have their kids in some of the best schools in the world and here in Nigeria. My problem with those insisting on us having a Nigerian coaching bench is that they forget the huge financial returns on this kind of investment if the team does well in such a major soccer competition as the senior World Cup. Critics of the issue of employing a truly top-notch European manager are suffering from fermented hypocrisy.

    I’m not a prophet of doom. I enjoy speaking the truth to our sports administrators who think that the world must wait for Nigeria to wake up from her slumber. No way. Sports is dynamic with defining moments meant for discerning minds to evaluate and make the right decisions. Sports are no longer essentially for recreation. It is now business by people who think outside the box not snoring folks like ours. The pain of this contemptuous scenario resulting from our refusal to plan for the future is that it keeps repeating itself in embarrassing proportions. Yet, we expect different results.

    Read Also: Truth or Dare: The dangerous s3x game in Nollywood

    We appear not to know that we are nearer the exit door than to qualify to participate in the 2026 World Cup. One would have thought that our football federation’s chieftains would have asked Eric Chelle to remain in Nigeria to start mini camps for home-based he has spotted and those he would spot later to see if he can find young, talented defenders instead of insulting our sensibilities by flaunting names of kids in Europe with Nigerian parents to woo them to play for Nigeria. Sad.

    We have allowed Chelle to return home with the usual instructions to return to Nigeria with two weeks left to the friendly games in June. Are we paying him to stay at home doing nothing? What happened to the accommodation in Abuja? Is it meant for termites, reptiles e.t.c, and not human beings? Is it that Chelle doesn’t have an office or work schedule to effectively keep him busy? Is it that the NFF chiefs aren’t abreast with the new technology that makes it easy for Chelle to do things he has been allowed to go home for? Nigeria, we hail thee.

    ”The budget for 2026 will reach new commercial heights in connection with the FIFA World Cup and will assist FIFA in its mission to provide Member Associations with unprecedented financial support,” according to the world soccer governing body’s Mundial document.

    What this message presupposes is that all the participating countries at the 2026 World Cup are in for a bountiful harvest. It is also obvious that more money would be paid to the qualifiers as qualification bonuses. At the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the qualification bonus was $12 million each, an increment on previous qualification bonuses of $8 million. The 2026 edition would be mouth-boggling, considering the fact the competition would be co-hosted by three nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. One wonders why these novel innovations don’t motivate our football federation bosses to prosecute this next edition flawlessly.

    With six World Cup appearances in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014, and 2018, Nigeria may just be the only nation with no record of how much it cost her to prosecute each of the six outings. It is the reason the federation can’t plan for anything. Sadly so.

    Qualifying for the Mundial since Nigeria recorded her debut appearance in 1994 in the United States has been a battle with Clemens Westerhoff’s relationship with the departed Vice President Augustus Aikhomu being the saving grace. Westerhof had unlimited access to the President and was given whatever he needed to sustain his rebuilding processes. Super Eagles, until Westerhof came, had become super chickens with jesters having a small comedy where a little child preferred staying with the Super Eagles than his mother for the simple fact that they don’t beat anyone.

    Nigeria is in very big trouble. The country must wake up to the reality that our national flag won’t be hoisted among the comity of nations at the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

    I wish the Super Eagles everything that they wish themselves in this World Cup campaign. Good luck Nigeria! 

  • Super Eagles: Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium named for Unity Cup 2025

    Super Eagles: Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium named for Unity Cup 2025

    The final signatures, seals and indentures were achieved on Wednesday, for this year’s Unity Cup Invitational Tournament involving Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana and Trinidad & Tobago to go ahead at the 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, West London in the last days of May 2025.

    Rotimi Pedro, of AfroSport, said: “We are proud to bring back The Unity Cup. It’s been a long journey to revive this important community event, and we’re delighted that fans of African and Caribbean football will once again enjoy top-tier international football at Unity Cup 2025. We are grateful to Brentford FC for providing a home at the Gtech Community Stadium and look forward to what, even after 20 years, remains a cultural moment for many who attended previous Unity Cup tournaments. Unity Cup 2025 is a week-long celebration of our interconnected culture in food, music and comedy anchored around elite footballing talents from our home nations.”

    Read Also: Remo Stars open  six-points  lead after Enugu draw

    The tournament will kick off with the first semi-final on Tuesday, 27th  May as Trinidad & Tobago tackle Jamaica in the first-ever ‘Trini-Jam’ on UK soil. The following day, three-time African champions Nigeria will take on four-time African champions Ghana in the second semi-final, which will come with all the intrigues and elements of a 74-year rivalry between the two continental giants.

    All four teams will return on Saturday, 31st  May for the grand finale, with the losers of the semi-final fixtures featuring in the third-place game, before the Final to determine The Unity Cup 2025 champions.

    President of NFF, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, said: “We signed on to the tournament as it offers a vital opportunity for our team to bond ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September. The Unity Cup has a special history, and the Super Eagles have always been part of that journey.”

    While Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Eric Chelle, noted that “we’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad before the matches in September and October,” team captain William Troost-Ekong said: “This is a great tournament for us to reunite and continue strategizing for the upcoming World Cup qualifying games.”

    Marcus Gayle, Brentford FC ambassador and former Jamaican international, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the Unity Cup back and to host it here at the Gtech Community Stadium. This tournament will not only showcase elite football talent from Africa and the Caribbean, but also celebrate the deep cultural and sporting ties between these regions. It’s a brilliant platform for players to shine, and we’re excited about the entertainment and community spirit the tournament brings.”

  • Duamlong backs Super Eagles to nick World Cup 26 ticket 

    Duamlong backs Super Eagles to nick World Cup 26 ticket 

    Veteran football administrator  and coach, Ben Duamlong, said  the Super Eagles  are still in with a chance to qualify  for the  FIFA World Cup 2026  despite  their current precarious situation.

    The Coach Eric Sekou Chelle- led side are lagging in fourth position in their  Group C  qualifying section  after  six round of matches and must win their remaining upcoming four matches  in September and October  to have any realistic chance of progressing to the Mundial.

    Winners of the six-team  Group  C will automatically get  a ticket  while a second place finish  could guarantee a play-off  route  based on standings from the remaining eighth CAF qualifying  groupings.

    “ I’m still very hopeful that the Super Eagles  would secure a ticket to the next FIFA world Cup,” the former Super Eagles’ Assistant Coach to the FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan 2022, told NationSport from his base in Jos. “Of course, it looks difficult but  honestly I believe  what we have now  is the best collection of Nigerian players in recent times  and they cannot  afford to miss the opportunity  of  qualifying the country for the next World Cup.” 

     Though   the Super  Eagles failed  to bridge  the gap  between  them and  Group C’s  ‘run away’ leaders,  South Africa, after they stumbled to a 1-1 draw at home to Zimbabwe the last time in Uyo, the experienced  Duamlong said Nigerians should by now  get used to the twists  and turns associated with  qualifying tournaments, adding the  Super Eagles have the capability to pull off their chestnuts from the fire.

    Read Also: Super Eagles jumps to 43rd  globally  in latest FIFA Rankings

    “ The Nigerian national team  is always like  this  but these players  themselves know the importance of going to  the World Cup, which means a lot  to them personally,” the former Mighty Jets and Plateau United coach said.“ How do you explain it? They  didn’t  go to Qatar in 2022  and they are intending  not to show face in 2026? I think both the players and  the football administrators  would redouble efforts in the remaining  four matches  to ensure  that the Super Eagles qualify for the 2026 World Cup.”

    Duamlong, the erstwhile Nigeria International  who few years  back earned a First Class Degree as the Best Graduating Student in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Jos, said  the this is about the best chance for the current  crop of Super Eagles  to have the chance of playing  at the Mundial, adding  not going  to the 2025 World Cup ‘would not augur well with their careers’.  

  • Beyond the game: 10 Super Eagles players with academic degrees

    Beyond the game: 10 Super Eagles players with academic degrees

    Football requires unwavering dedication, hard work, and discipline, often leading many players to focus solely on their careers at the expense of education. 

    However, some exceptional Nigerian footballers have managed to excel both on the field and in academics, proving that a successful football career and higher education can go hand in hand. 

    In this article, we highlight 10 Super Eagles stars who have earned college degrees while competing at the highest level.

    1. William Troost-Ekong

    As the captain of the Super Eagles, William Troost-Ekong has demonstrated strong leadership under pressure. Beyond his football career, he holds a degree in Business Administration, which has helped shape his leadership qualities on and off the pitch. His commitment to education underscores the importance of balancing academics with professional sports.

    2. Kelechi Iheanacho

    Affectionately known as “Senior Man” by his Leicester City teammates and fans, Kelechi Iheanacho is not only an influential figure in football but also a degree holder in Business and Marketing from the University of Manchester.

    3. Wilfred Ndidi

    A midfield powerhouse for both the Super Eagles and his club, Wilfred Ndidi is more than just an engine on the field. He holds a degree in Business Management Studies, proving that academic excellence and football success can go hand in hand.

    4. Leon Balogun

    The reliable Super Eagles center-back, Leon Balogun, earned a degree in Social Sciences from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. His dedication to academics reflects the same drive and determination he exhibits on the pitch.

    Read Also: From glory to survival: Nigerian players face pivotal battles today

    5. John Ogu

    An outstanding midfielder who played a key role in Nigeria’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, John Ogu earned a degree in Finance from the National Open University of Nigeria.

    6. Oghenekaro Etebo

    A seasoned midfielder with experience playing for clubs like Getafe, Galatasaray, and Watford, Oghenekaro Etebo has also excelled academically. He holds a degree in Economics and Development Studies.

    7. Taiwo Awoniyi

    Currently playing as a striker for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, Taiwo Awoniyi is actively furthering his education. He is enrolled in a Sporting Directorship course at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Business School. In addition, he holds a diploma in Business Administration and Marketing Management and is pursuing an online Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

    8. Cyriel Dessers

    Born to a Belgian father and a Nigerian mother, Cyriel Dessers chose to represent Nigeria at the international level. While playing for OH Leuven’s youth teams, he pursued a Law degree at KU Leuven, demonstrating his commitment to both football and education.

    9. Maduka Okoye

    The Super Eagles’ third-choice goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, has a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Management/Economics along with a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business Administration—an impressive academic achievement alongside his football career.

    10. Sone Aluko

    Sone Aluko, a former Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, has played for various clubs, including Hull City and Reading. Aluko is known for his skills on the pitch, but he’s also an accomplished scholar with a degree in business management from the University of Houston.