naptu2: I forgot to include Sikiru Olatunbosun's goal in 2017.
This goal, which was scored in the Nigerian league, the NPFL, was CNN's goal of the week, Supersport goal of the week and it was shown on TV stations around the world and written about in newspapers around the world.
But it's also an example of the problem. The problem was not that you can't get such goals in the Nigerian league, no, the problem was the mentality of Nigerians who voted for a lesser goal (because it was scored by a European). It is the mentality of certain Nigerians who always want to tear down anything Nigerian.
naptu2: Worth watching again. Sikiru Olatunbosun's wonder strike for MFM against Enugu Rangers at the Agege Stadium in Lagos. It was CNN's goal of the week.
I watched an interview that DBN had with him yesterday and he talked about how happy he is that continental football is returning to Lagos for the first time in more than 13 years. He has always dreamt of playing against teams like Zamalek and Al Ahly. I assume that they will play their continental matches at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
EA FC 25 Team of the Year Nominees: Full List of Men and Women's Players
Team of the Year is around the corner as EA FC Ultimate Team fans get ready for the biggest promotion of the cycle.
Max Mallow | Jan 6, 2025
EA FC 25 Team of the Year nominees were revealed Jan. 6 as fans can now cast their votes toward their favorite players in hopes of them making the prestigious squad.
Team of the Year is an annual EA FC Ultimate Team promotion in which the best performing players from the past calendar year receive special cards. These cards are made available in packs for a limited time and are extremely sought after by players. As the promotion has evolved, EA Sports has added special Icons and Honorable Mentions items to the player pool. And, of course with women being added to Ultimate Team in EA FC 24, Team of the Year includes a full women's squad.
Here's the full list of Team of the Year nominees for both the men and women up for the most prestigious squad:
naptu2: Obviously what that guy wrote is nonsense and doesn't deserve a response, but these are the facts.
1) Footballers from all over the world move to the major European leagues because that's where they can get the most recognition and money.
When was the last time that a player that is playing outside Europe won the FIFA The Best or the Ballon d'Or awards? Does that mean that North American, South American, Asian, African and Australasian countries are zoos, IDP camps or prisons? Players from all over the world move to Europe, does that mean that their countries are zoos, prisons and IDP camps?
2) There are many Nigerian players that have won international awards and are living comfortably while playing in the Nigerian league. Apart from playing regular football, Abu Azeez is also a beach soccer legend. He is the first African to score 100 goals in international beach soccer competitions, he was the player of the competition at the Beach Soccer Nations Cup that Nigeria came second, etc.
He has played almost his entire club football career in Nigeria, playing for Enyimba, Shooting Stars, Rangers, etc.
Rabiu Ali is a Kano Pillars legend. He has played for the club for almost his entire career. He has also played for the Nigerian National Team (Super Eagles) and for the home based Super Eagles (CHAN team).
There are many others like them (Sikiru Alimi, etc).
Let's not forget that players like Vincent Enyeama (Enyimba), Victor Osimhen (Ultimate Strikers), Asisat Oshoala (Rivers Angels) and Oghenekaro Etebo (Warri Wolves) and coaches like Stephen Keshi (Super Eagles), Olayemi Tella (Golden Eaglets), Okey Emordi (Enyimba) and Kadiri Ikhana (Enyimba) won CAF awards while playing or working in Nigeria and Enyimba has twice won the team of the year.
3) Many foreign players have also played in the Nigerian league. They won't have played here if Nigeria was a prison, IDP camp or zoo.
Some of the best women's players in Africa have played and are currently playing in the Nigerian league. Elizabeth Addo of Ghana (the football magician) played for Rivers Angels, Cameroon's first choice goalkeeper, Gabrielle Ange Bawou plays for Bayelsa Queens (there is a tradition of some of the best Cameroonian goalkeepers playing in the Nigerian league and this goes way back to the 1990s). Cathy Bou Ndjouh and Francoise Bella of Cameroon both played for Rivers Angels (Francoise Bella also played for Bayelsa Queens). They won't have come to Nigeria if it was a zoo, prison or IDP camp.
On the men's side we have had some of the best players in Africa (from other countries) playing in the Nigerian league. Historically you can talk about the likes of legendary Ghanaian goalkeeper, Edward Ansah, who was Ghana's first choice goalkeeper while he played for Iwuanyanwu Nationale and Arthur Moses, who played for the Black Stars while playing for Stationery Stores.
More recently we can remember the incredible Champions League winning Enyimba strikeforce of Joetex Frimpong of Ghana and Muri Ogunbiyi of Benin Republic.
And we still have them today with the likes of Indomitable Lions goalkeeper, Jean Efala and Bassa Djeri Sabairou playing in the Nigerian league.
In fact, there are a lot of non-Africans that have played and worked in the Nigerian league. I told you all about the Belgian coach, Maurice Cooreman when he died. He coached several clubs in the Nigerian league and took them to the final stages of the CAF Champions League. There's also the Brazilian, Rafael Everton, who also coached several teams in the Nigerian league.
There have been several Brazilians, Serbians, and Dutch players in the Nigerian league in teams like Kwara United, Ifeanyi Ubah and Enyimba and these players would not have come to Nigeria if it was a prison, zoo or IDP camp.
4) Many very famous Nigerian players that achieved great success in Europe have come back to play in the Nigerian league towards the end of their careers. Rashidi Yekini played for Julius Berger and Gateway after conquering Europe, Ahmed Musa played for Kano Pillars after playing in Europe and of course we've just seen the example of Brown Ideye. Many Nigerian players that played in Europe are also coaching in the Nigerian league. We've seen Daniel Amokachi, Finidi George, Emmanuel Amunike and others too numerous to mention.
All these people would not come back if Nigeria was a zoo, prison and IDP camp.
saintopus: Don't teach us to produce guns, but teach us how to produce electronics, increase agricultural revolution. Let us feed our people. Insecurity will reduce
Teach us how to produce everything, so that we'll use the guns to protect the electronics, food, etc from thieves.
The legendary chartered accountant and corporate business titan Chief 'Bode Emmanuel has come to the end of his cycle of human existence... "NOW elevated to a higher state of vibrational energy."
My condolences go to his entire family.
Erm, a slight correction. The name is Emanuel, not Emmanuel. He was from the Popo Aguda area (Brazilian quarters) of Lagos.
dejavubobo1: There is the answer. Abdu Azzez & Rabiu Ali won't even win a caf award. But the south African goalie just did. While playing within SA. These guys you mentioned were talented but lack the tech skills to take them beyond talent and make the finished products... Why they were never a mainstream in the super Eagles. A player from Cyprus or Italy serieB will be preferred over them...
As for the poster above you. keep an open mind don't see enemies see critics challenging you to be better. It's a new year
Totally wrong.
Vincent Enyeama won CAF goalkeeper of the year while playing with Enyimba. Victor Osimhen also won best young player while playing in Nigeria.
If you perform well and you win CHAN, Nations Cup or CAF Champions League, you will win a CAF award.
Lots of Nigerians have won CAF awards while playing in Nigeria.
As for the poster, he is not a critic and has never criticised anything. His aim is simply to derail my thread and I'm beginning to think that you know that.
dejavubobo1: To be honest I understand what the poster above meant .... I'm into sports not full time anymore and not football. U can't become a professional playing in Nigeria. Regardless of how talented you are. The facilities and technical skills are not available. I wish you look beyond patriotic and see what I'm saying
Yet we had Abu Azeez and Rabiu Ali.
By the way, you don't understand what the poster meant. He's not interested in football, he is part of a group of people that try to derail my threads every single day and I have great fun watching them try and fail.
Deborah Ajibola Abiodun (aka Kante) represented Nigeria at the 2022 FIFA Under 20 Women's World Cup, where she was one of the standout performers.
She was subsequently called up to the Super Falcons.
Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, who was also the coach of the Pittsburgh University team in the United States, took her to the United States where she got a full scholarship while playing for the university team, the Pittsburgh Panthers.
There has recently been a change in the rules governing the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States. Previously players were drafted from universities, as is the practice in the NBA, but now teams are able to freely sign players as is done in European football.
Washington Spirit, which finished second in the NWSL last season, has now signed Deborah Abiodun.
She was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria and she previously played for Rivers Angels in the Nigerian Women's Football League (NWFL).
Zainab Yewande Omoyila Balogun was born in Washington D.C. in the United States.
She played for the University of Maryland from 2007 till 2011. She played for other teams in the United States before being sidelined by injury.
Although she did not announce her retirement, it was assumed that she had retired at this stage.
She worked as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland and the University College, Davis.
Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, convinced her to return to active duty and she was the Super Falcons second or third choice goalkeeper from 2021 till 2023.
She later signed a deal with St Etienne in France and became their goalkeeper.
She has now announced her retirement from football.
Maybe it’s fitting that I never officially announced “retirement” after university and after having knee cartilage replacement surgery. While it left me with no actual closure from my playing career, it also left open a door to go back to playing, and it was so obvious to walk through it when the opportunity presented itself a decade later.
The journey has been unpredictable with some beautiful highs and some dark lows. Sure, my path could have been different, but then so would the story. Now the story is one of belief; in God, in myself. One of determination against so many odds. One of taking risks, saying yes, and jumping far away from the safety net and into the unknown. A story of being too afraid of regret to even consider failure.
In this story, a lifelong dream of playing professional football, a dream I believed to be long lost, was revived. I was blessed to have represented Nigeria on the international stage. I lived and played in different countries and I never stopped learning about the game, about the world, or about myself.
They say it’s not about the destination but the journey, and what I can tell you is that many of the best parts of this story didn’t take place on the pitch. They are the memories from the places I got see, and the people I met along the way. Many who walked alongside me, many who supported me, and the occasional antagonist. They all gave me reasons to keep the faith and continue to find the joy in all of it, despite the circumstances or plot twists. I’m especially grateful to the ones who helped make it all possible in the first place.
My body is saying it’s time to close this chapter and hang up the boots (for real this time 😅) but I thank God for every step of this journey. I’m forever grateful to the beautiful game and all it’s given me, so here’s to continuing to find ways to give right back. Thank you for all for the love and support along the way 💛
Washington Spirit Starts Promising 2025 Rookie Class with Two Signings
Washington Spirit | January 6, 2025
Nigerian national team’s Deborah Abiodun and San Diego State star Emma Gaines-Ramos join the Spirit
Washington, D.C. (01/06/2025) – The Washington Spirit has made the first additions to its 2025 rookie class, signing forward Emma Gaines-Ramos and midfielder Deborah Abiodun, the club announced today. This year’s class comes in the wake of 2024’s historic group of first-year players highlighted by NWSL Midfielder and Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune.
Abiodun arrives in DC after two seasons at Pitt, where she was a standout player for the Panthers. In 34 appearances, the midfielder tallied ten goals and three assists while being named to the All-ACC teams in both seasons. In 2023, Abiodun was named to the all-conference Freshman and Third teams while she earned Second Team All-ACC honors in 2024. At the international level, Abiodun has extensive experience with the Nigerian senior team. She was named to the Super Falcons’ World Cup roster in 2023 and Olympics roster in 2024. Abiodun inked a three-year contract with a 2028 option and will occupy an international slot on the Spirit roster.
“I’m beyond thrilled to take this next step in my career by joining Washington Spirit,” said Abiodun. “This isn’t just a dream; it’s a purpose I’ve poured my heart and soul into and I’m ready to give everything I have to the game I love. Especially with a team that cares about its players’ growth and development, which makes Washington Spirit a perfect team for me to achieve my purpose.”
Gaines-Ramos joins the Spirit after five seasons at San Diego State University. Across 91 appearances with the Aztecs, the forward tallied 19 goals and 25 assists, earning all-conference honors four times. She was named to the All-Mountain West First Team in 2020 and 2022 before being named to the Second Team in 2023 and 2024. Gaines-Ramos joins on a two-year deal with 2027 and 2028 options and will start out on the season-ending injury (SEI) list but be eligible to return in 2025.
“Signing with the Washington Spirit was an easy decision for me as it is an incredible opportunity to challenge myself and compete at the highest level,” said Gaines-Ramos. “The club’s commitment to excellence, development, team culture and its community make it the perfect place for me to grow and contribute to its success as a player and a person.”
The Spirit will take the field in 2025 looking to build on this year’s second place finish in the NWSL. Behind stellar performances from the side’s star players and rookie phenoms, the Spirit set new single season club marks on the pitch in wins (18, also a league record), points (56) and goals (51) in front of record attendances at Audi Field in 2024.
With a heart overflowing with gratitude and appreciation, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been part of my incredible journey here at Pittsburgh. Knowing each one of you has been a blessing I will cherish forever.
To my Coaches, Professors, teammates who have become sisters, the supportive Teammates’ families, devoted Fans, and the amazing Staff of @pitt_wsoc you have all played a significant role in shaping me into a better player, student, teammate, sister, and person. Your unwavering encouragement, guidance, and belief in me have meant the world, and I am endlessly grateful for the moments we’ve shared.
The University of Pittsburgh will always hold a special place in my heart, as it has given me not only unforgettable memories but also the relationships and lessons that will last a lifetime. Thank you for making this chapter of my life so memorable, meaningful, and truly extraordinary.
Once a Panther, Always a Panther. Hail to Pitt! 🐾💛💙
Politics › Photos Of Ayo Fayose And Governor Biodun Oyebanji by naptu2(op): 5:30am On Jan 10, 2025
