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Wilfred Ndidi Named New Captain Of The Super Eagles Ahead Of AFCON 2025 (Video)

Nigerian footballer, Wilfred Ndidi has officially been named as the new Super Eagles captain.

Ndidi’s appointment will usher a new era of leadership for the Super Eagles following William Troost-Ekong’s retirement from international football.

The midfielder’s appointment was confirmed on the Super Eagles X account on Friday.

The Besiktas star is counting on the support of his teammates to make his reign successful.

“It’s a huge responsibility, with the help of the players everything will be smooth,” Ndidi told the Super Eagles media.

“I have had conversation with a couple of the players. Just to let them know the reason why we are. I also need their support as well. The staff as well, we are all in this together.

“We have conversation on the task ahead, and it is important for us to be together on the same page.”

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Jake Paul Hospitalized After Suffering Knockout Defeat To Anthony Joshua

Popular American boxer, Jake Paul was rushed to hospital after his fight with Anthony Joshua.

Jake was hospitalized after he suffered a suspected fractured jaw following his six-round loss to Joshua, a former world heavyweight champion, in Miami.

The 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-professional boxer displayed resilience and determination throughout the bout but was ultimately overpowered by Joshua’s superior size and punching strength.

Speaking after the fight, Paul revealed concerns that his jaw may have been broken, a claim later confirmed by his promoter, Nakisa Bidarian, who said medical evaluation was required and recovery could take between four and six weeks.

Despite the setback, Paul struck an optimistic tone in his post-fight remarks.

“I feel good. It was fun, and I genuinely love this sport,” he said, while sharing graphic images and videos on social media highlighting the physical toll of the contest.

The former cruiserweight contender stated that he intends to take a brief rest period before resuming his career, with his sights still set on challenging for a cruiserweight world title.

“We’ll heal the jaw, come back stronger and fight opponents in my weight class. Anthony Joshua is a great champion. I lost, but that’s part of boxing. I’ll return and keep pushing forward,” Paul said.

Reflecting on the fight itself, Paul admitted fatigue played a major role in the outcome.

“I got tired trying to manage his size and weight. With better conditioning, I think I could have lasted longer. I gave it everything I had,” he added.

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Anthony Joshua Knocks Out Jake Paul In Round Six Of Miami Heavyweight Showdown

British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer of Nigerian heritage, Anthony Joshua, scored a sixth-round knockout against Jake Paul in their heavyweight clash at the Kaseya Center in Miami early Saturday morning.

The 36-year-old two-time world champion recorded his 29th win in 33 professional fights with the victory.

The eight-round bout, a tune-up fight for Joshua and a commercial event against the YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, was a mismatch from the first bell.

Paul danced around the ring from the start and clinched at every close contact, but the 28-year-old managed to land a few shots while Joshua looked for the big blow to end the fight early.

Joshua made headway in the second round with his jab and body shots as he stalked Paul through the ring, a recurring theme until the fifth round where he successfully knocked his opponent down twice.

A punch to the body dropped Paul to the canvas, before Joshua unloaded multiple shots that caused the second knockdown as he looked to close out the fight against a tired opponent.

Joshua finally secured the knockout in the sixth round, dropping Paul multiple times, before a clean shot ended the fight as the referee stopped the contest after Paul failed to beat the count.

The victory is Joshua’s first on American soil since his previous loss to Andy Ruiz Jr., while the Sagamu native also improved his knockout record to 26 KOs in his 29 wins. He landed 48 punches to Paul’s 16 in the six-round bout.

Speaking after what he called a victory that cleared the “cobwebs,” Joshua called out fellow British boxer Tyson Fury as he seeks a major fight in 2026.

“We shook off the cobwebs,” he started. “I can’t wait for 2026.

“If Tyson Fury is as serious as he says he is, and he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves, and come and fight one of the realest fighters out there, step into there with me next if you’re a really bad boy.”

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It’s Shameless! – Mikel Obi Slams NFF Over Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 Preparations

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has slammed Nigeria’s preparations for AFCON 2025, accusing the Nigeria Football Federation of mismanagement just weeks ahead of the tournament.

Speaking on his ObiOne podcast, Mikel said he was deeply unimpressed by the state of preparations for the finals in Morocco, which kick off on Sunday.

He questioned how a national team coach could still be owed salaries at such a sensitive moment for Nigerian football.

“I’m not impressed at all with the preparation. After everything that happened with the World Cup qualifiers, you would expect things to be better,” said Mikel, who has previously called for the resignation of the NFF board following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

“How do you owe a coach money at this stage? It’s shameless! This is not how serious football nations operate. When issues like this are in the public space, it affects everyone, the coach, the players and even the fans.

“This was supposed to be the time to save face and show that lessons were learned. Instead, it’s the same story again. You can’t go into the AFCON with unresolved problems. Everything must be sorted now. Nigeria deserves better. Our football deserves better.”

Reports had claimed that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle was owed three months’ salary and bonuses by the NFF ahead of the 2025 AFCON.

However, Naija News reports that the National Sports Commission chairman, Shehu Dikko, revealed on Monday that the commission had stepped in to cover Chelle’s wages, despite not being a party to his contract.

“The NSC have been paying the salaries of Eric Chelle (Super Eagles coach) on behalf of the NFF even though we’re not a party to the contract,” Dikko said on Arise Television. “This is part of our support to the NFF.”

Nigeria will compete in Group C at AFCON 2025 alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania, with their opening fixture against Tanzania scheduled for December 23 in Fès.

The Super Eagles head into the tournament on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Egypt in their only pre-AFCON friendly, played on Tuesday in Cairo.

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Super Eagles Stars Land in Morocco In Style For AFCON 2025 (Photos)

Three-time African champions, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, arrived at their base in Fez on Tuesday ahead of the kick-off of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, where they will be chasing a long-awaited fourth title.

Dapper in their  green traditional kaftans with flowered embroidery  with  matching caps, the coach Eric Sekou Chelle-led side left  Cairo  yesterday  about mid-day  in a chartered   flight  and  made their way  into Fez  in the evening.

Their late arrival forced   the cancellation of  their proposed  first training in Fez yesterday  but  they are expected  to begin their preparation  today in Fez which is  regarded  as one of Morocco’s most fascinating imperial cities and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The  Super Eagles had earlier  spent five days in Cairo for the first phase of their preparation  and  only on Tuesday lost 2-1 to the Pharaohs of Egypt in their only  pre-AFCON friendly match.

The three-time African champions are drawn in Group C with Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

The Super Eagles will face the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in their opening fixture next week Tuesday, before taking on Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles on December 27, and Uganda’s Cranes on December 30.

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Finalissima: Date, Venue, Time For Argentina vs Spain Confirmed

The date, venue, and kick-off time for the Finalissima clash between Spain and Argentina have been officially confirmed.

UEFA and CONMEBOL, together with the Royal Spanish Football Federation, RFEF, and the Argentine Football Association, AFA, have today announced the venue, date and kick-off time for the Finalissima 2026.

The showpiece fixture sees UEFA EURO 2024 winners Spain face CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 champions Argentina in a clash of the two continental title holders.

The game will take place at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Friday 27 March 2026 and the kick-off at 21:00 local time.

The match will be delivered by Qatar’s Local Organising Committee, LOC, for football events

Speaking about the encounter, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said via UEFA’s website: “The Finalissima brings together two continental champions in one of football’s most prestigious occasions, highlighting the game’s truly global reach and the enduring bond between our confederations.

“We look forward to a memorable night of world-class football and celebration.”

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FIFA Overturns Three Matches Over Players’ Eligibility As Super Eagles Wait

FIFA has sanctioned Malaysia with three 3–0 losses in three matches after the team was found guilty of fielding ineligible players.

This was confirmed by the Football Association of Malaysia, FAM, on Wednesday.

The results involved includes victories in friendly matches against Palestine and Singapore and a draw with Cape Verde.

FIFA suspended the seven players who submitted forged documents claiming they had Malaysian ancestry.

The FAM, who were previously hit with a $440,000 fine, will pay a further $12,500 as part of their punishment.

FIFA began the investigation after receiving a complaint following Malaysia’s 4-0 win against Vietnam in June in an Asian Cup qualifier, a game where two of the seven affected players scored.

The investigation revealed that none of Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, or Joao Brandao Figueiredo had a parent or grandparent born in Malaysia, a requirement for selection to a national team.

This comes as the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, have sent a complaint to FIFA insisting the Democratic Republic of Congo used ineligible players for their 2026 World Cup qualifying game.

The Leopards beat the Super Eagles in the African play-offs via penalties and are getting ready to play in the intercontinental play-off final.

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2026 World Cup: FIFA Confirms Prize Money

FIFA has confirmed that the total prize money for the 2026 World Cup will amount to $727 million.

The 48 participating nations will share from a $655million pot.

The country that emerges as champions will be awarded $50million – the biggest payout ever.

The losing finalists will receive $33million, while the third and fourth-placed teams will be paid $29million and $27million, respectively.

Teams that finish between fifth and eighth place will earn $19million each.

The countries eliminated in the last 16 will receive $15million, while those that crash out in the group stages will get $9million.

Every team that qualified will be reimbursed $1.5million to cover costs of preparation.

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AFCON 2025: Super Eagles Depart Cairo Camp For Morocco

The Super Eagles are set to travel from Cairo to Fez, Morocco, today in preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Eric Chelle’s men opened camp in Cairo, Egypt for the competition on Sunday.

All the 28 players are now in camp following Victor Osimhen’s arrival on Wednesday night.

The Super Eagles lost 2-1 to Egypt in their only pre-AFCON friendly at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday night.

They will continue their preparation for the competition when they arrive Fez.

Nigeria will face the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in their opening fixture next week Tuesday, before taking on Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles on December 27 and Uganda’s Cranes on December 30.

The Super Eagles will play all their group games at the Grand Stade de Fèz.

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Nigerian Footballer, Ahmed Musa Officially Announces Retirement From Super Eagles

Ahmed Musa has officially retired from international football, concluding an illustrious 15-year career with the Super Eagles that solidified his status as one of the most influential figures in Nigerian football history.

Ahmed Musa, 33, confirmed his decision in a message shared on his official Instagram page on Wednesday afternoon, December 17, reflecting on a journey shaped by loyalty, sacrifice and landmark achievements in the national colours.

“After a lot of thought, I have decided to retire from international football, bringing to an end almost 15 years with the Super Eagles,” he said.

“From the very first call-up, wearing the green and white meant everything to me.”

Musa recalled the demanding early years of his international rise, when he was moving constantly between Nigeria’s youth teams and the senior side.

“I was just a young boy when the journey started,” he said. “I remember being invited at the same time to the U-20, U-23 and the Super Eagles. I was young, still learning, and always travelling, but I never complained. Whenever Nigeria called, I showed up. It was never something I had to think twice about.”

That commitment eventually saw him earn a national record 111 caps, a milestone he described as a source of pride and responsibility.

“Playing 111 matches for my country is something I hold with deep respect. To become the most capped player in the history of Nigerian football is a great honour. Every time I wore the jersey, I understood the responsibility that came with it,” he said.

Musa’s time in the green and white was defined by moments that reshaped Nigeria’s football story. He was part of the squad that lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in 2013, a success he still regards as a career highlight.

“Winning the 2013 AFCON will always stand out. That team showed what it meant to play for Nigeria,” he noted.

On the world stage, Ahmed Musa etched his name into history at the FIFA World Cup. He became the first Nigerian to score more than once in a single World Cup match after netting twice against Argentina in 2014, before repeating the feat with two goals against Iceland four years later.

“Scoring at the World Cup, against Argentina and Iceland, are memories I will always carry with me,” he said. “To score four goals at the World Cup and be Nigeria’s highest goalscorer on that stage is something I am truly grateful for.”

Musa also paid tribute to former teammates, coaches, backroom staff and football administrators, while thanking Nigerian supporters at home and abroad for their unwavering backing throughout his career.

“As I step away from international football, I do so with peace and gratitude. I know I gave my best. I know the Super Eagles will continue to move forward. And I know that this bond will never be broken. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle. Thank you, Nigeria. Thank you for everything,” he said.

At the club level, Musa remains closely involved in the game. He returned to Kano Pillars in October 2024 for a third spell and continues with the four-time Nigeria Premier League champions, where he has taken on the role of general manager.

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