German veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has poured cold water on speculation linking him with a return to the national team.
Rumours had gathered earlier last week following comments attributed to his agent, who hinted Neuer would “not say no” if head coach Julian Nagelsmann opted for a recall.
The veteran had already been quizzed about the possibility during a Bayern media session three days ago.
Neuer, however, has now closed the door emphatically, insisting his focus lies solely with Bayern Munich.
“It was a conscious decision for me to step down from the German national team,” Neuer said post-match.
“Accordingly, that’s not something that’s an option for me. I’m concentrating on my club. I was with the national team since 2009.
“I think the European Championship [in 2024] was a nice conclusion, though it wasn’t the best way to end things, losing against Spain in my own country.”
Neuer stressed he has no regrets about his international journey, which included lifting the 2014 World Cup. “I think I gained a lot from German football and hopefully gave enough back.
“I had a very successful and nice time. I’m not thinking about returning at all. I can’t visualize Manuel Neuer returning to the German national team.”
Addressing media speculation, Neuer added: “I haven’t talked about it with my agent. But the fact remains that I have decided not to return to the German national team. That is my final decision.”
Big Brother Naija housemate Faith has revealed that he would not kiss fellow housemates Imisi and Isabella, even for a prize of 80 million Naira.
He stated this during a conversation with fellow housemates, Mide, Kulture, Jason Jae, Joanna, and Rooboy, on Sunday.
According to him, Imisi and Isabella are not at his level.
Faith: “If you give me N80 million, I will not kiss Isabella.”
Jason: “So why are you here? If you had said N1 million, I would have believed you.”
Faith: “I am here for the experience, not the money.”
Jason: “If they give you N80 million, you won’t kiss Imisi?”
Faith; “I will not…Imisi is not on my level.”
Faith and Imisi have been involved in a lot of altercations since the show started. The duo were initially close but fell out after Faith bluntly rejected Imisi’s romantic interest in him.
Isabella, who is Imisi’s close friend, appeared to have inherited the beef between the two of them.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has denied reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved and published a list of the party’s state chairmen across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement released on Sunday by the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, via his official X account, the ADC national leadership clarified that INEC has issued no such confirmation, either officially or unofficially.
The report, in some sections of the media (not PUNCH), listed what they claimed were ADC State Chairmen, as confirmed by INEC.
Abdullahi described the report as “fake news” engineered to create confusion within the party.
He emphasised that the ratification of state leadership is an internal party process governed by its constitution.
Abdullahi explained that INEC will only recognise submissions made through proper channels after due diligence.
He said, “The attention of the national leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been drawn to a widely circulated statement titled ‘Coalition Update: INEC Confirms ADC State Chairmen Nationwide,’ which purports that the Independent National Electoral Commission has released and validated a list of State Party Chairmen for the ADC across the country.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission, to the best of our knowledge and verification, has issued no such confirmation, neither officially nor unofficially.
“INEC only recognises what the party submits through the appropriate channels after due process. As of today, no such comprehensive list has been submitted or confirmed by INEC.”
The spokesman reiterated the party’s commitment to internal democracy and discipline, advising stakeholders to remain vigilant against misinformation.
This comes as the party is resolving internal tensions, including a leadership tussle after INEC recently recognised former Senate President David Mark as ADC national chairman.
Recently, the court has summoned Mark and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, over disputes regarding the party’s leadership changes.
However, ADC has denied claims of a court injunction barring INEC from recognising the Mark-led faction, labelling such reports as additional fake news from “desperate political jobbers.”
Seyi Shay, the Nigerian singer and songwriter, has spoken about how the de@th of her mentor, Sound Sultan, affected her career.
She revealed that after Sound Sultan passed away in 2021, she lost the zeal to continue music.
Shay further explained that she became pregnant with her daughter around the same period, which also encouraged her to embark on a break due to the “toxic” nature of the music industry.
“During the filming of Nigerian Idol, my mentor, also my best friend, who is like a father figure to me, and also the person who brought me to the Nigerian music industry, died. He passed away; Sound Sultan,” Seyi Shay recalls in an interview with TVC.
“When I first came to Nigeria, I was living with him and his wife in FESTAC for a year. He was the one who co-signed me and introduced me to everybody in the industry to make sure that those who were his people look out for me.
“So, when he passed away, it was really hard for me to complete the filming but I made it to the end. What hurt the most is that I didn’t get to see him before he passed away. I was supposed to fly to see him in New York that weekend when we had a break. He asked me to bring him something specifically. It just torn me apart. I felt like I didn’t have the will to continue to do music without Sound Sultan, my peace of mind, and my mental health. So, I decided to go on a little break.
“Also, during that period, I got pregnant and I told myself there’s no way I’m going to have my child in the toxic music industry that I’m in and under the scrutiny that I was constantly under. So, I just thought I should take a break.”
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 100m hurdles at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The defending champion, who won gold at the 2022 edition in Oregon and finished sixth at Budapest 2023, looked in sharp form as she dominated heat six with a time of 12.53 seconds to advance comfortably on Sunday, September 14..
Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton, the world indoor champion and one of Amusan’s main rivals, came second in 12.69s, while Italy’s Elena Carraro placed third in 12.86s to also secure qualification.
Amusan, who holds the world record of 12.12s set in 2022, is aiming to reclaim her world title after losing it last year. Her progression to the semis keeps Nigeria’s medal hopes alive in Tokyo.
Elsewhere, Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi and Israel Okon will feature in the men’s 100m semi-finals later today (Sunday), as the country continues its push for podium finishes at the Championships.
Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has disclosed that Victor Osimhen is still struggling with pain from an injury picked up during international duty with Nigeria but is expected to make a return to action soon.
The 26-year-old striker picked up the knock last week while representing the Super Eagles and immediately returned to Turkey for treatment. Galatasaray confirmed his situation in a statement on their official website.
Osimhen was unavailable for the Yellow and Reds’ 2-0 victory over Eyupspor on Saturday, but Buruk remains optimistic about his recovery ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League opener.
“Osimhen’s condition will be determined within a few days. We’re hopeful he’ll play. We think he will, but of course, he’s in pain,” Buruk told the club’s official media.
Galatasaray face Eintracht Frankfurt away on Thursday in their first Champions League group stage match of the season, and Buruk will be eager to have his star forward available.
Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray from Napoli this summer in a high-profile transfer, is seen as central to the Turkish champions’ European ambitions. He arrived after a successful spell in Serie A, where he fired Napoli to their first Scudetto in 33 years in 2023 and won the African Footballer of the Year award.
His fitness will be closely monitored in the coming days, with Nigerian fans also anxious about his availability ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers.
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