Youth Development

At just eight years old, Samson “Kekere” Azeez has traded the dusty pitches of Lagos for international competition in Portugal, carried there by talent and the timely intervention of The Future Academy. In the crowded neighbourhoods of Lagos, where football happens on any available patch of ground, Samson Azeez was just another barefoot kid chasing […]

Newly-returned Manchester United U21 coach Adam Lawrence says Chido Obi has handled a difficult step back from first-team football in exactly the right way, channelling frustration into a drive that could still define his future at Old Trafford. Chido Obi is earning respect the hard way. The 18-year-old Nigerian-born forward tasted first-team football at Manchester

The Federal Government has promised to keep honouring Nigeria’s greatest sports figures as a new U-16 football championship bearing Sam Okwaraji’s name is officially unveiled at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium. The Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Mr Bukola Olopade, has declared that the Federal Government will continue to immortalise late sports icons who

Brazilian giants Cruzeiro dispatched scout Isaque Silva to Lagos for the fifth Jagaban Cup, the latest step in a structured African talent-hunting mission that has already covered Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. Cruzeiro, the Belo Horizonte club where a teenage Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima first announced himself to the world, have taken their African scouting operation

Raheem Sterling called him personally. Chelsea wanted to sign him. Hafiz Ibrahim said no. He chose a French club in Ligue 2 instead, because he believed it was the right environment to develop. He was playing football on the dusty streets of Kano not very long ago. Today, he is scoring in the Coupe de

West Ham were determined not to lose Josh Ajala for free. The 19-year-old striker of Nigerian descent, who had clubs in France and Germany circling, has signed a new contract keeping him at the London Stadium until 2028. West Ham United have confirmed that striker Josh Ajala has signed a new contract with the club

Two teenagers of Nigerian heritage are both in the running for the same Premier League 2 Player of the Month award. Chido Obi at Manchester United and Josh Ajala at West Ham are competing against each other — and it’s a rivalry Nigeria should be paying very close attention to. In a week where Alex

Ajayi, 16, Trains With Bayern Munich First Team Nigerian left-back Richard Ajayi trained with Bayern Munich’s senior squad for the first time at age 16, as injuries to Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito opened the door to one of Germany’s most exciting academy talents. Richard Ajayi is only 16. But Bayern Munich’s coaching staff didn’t

Done Deal: Kaduna-Scouted Aibe Joins Czech Side Sigma Olomouc A tournament in Kaduna. A scout in the crowd. A phone call to Prague. Sokoato Samuel Aibe’s journey from local grassroots football to the Czech top flight is the kind of story Nigerian football needs to tell more often. Sokoato Samuel Aibe is 18 years old,

Eighteen-year-old Flying Eagles winger Bidemi Amole is on the verge of joining Atalanta from Real Sapphire Academy, with respected Italian outlet TMW reporting the deal could be finalised within hours. Bergamo is returning to Nigeria to sign its next left winger. One Lookman left Bergamo. Now, Atalanta