By Mike Oboh
Galadima Football Academy over the weekend emerged the winners of the 5th Dreamland Hungary Embassy Cup courtesy of Saleh Yahaya lone strike in Abuja.
Yahaya scored the goal in the first stanza of the encounter against Right2Win Academy in the match decided at the training pitch of the Abuja National stadium.
The competition which had 16 teams in attendance, saw the selection of eight players from among the teams by the scouts from Hungary.
Sani Abacha, who could not make the final cut in the last National U-17 team tutored by Coach Manu Garba because of his MRI test result, was the star player in the pack picked by the scouts led by Hungary based FIFA Agent, Gelei Karolly.
Speaking at the occasion, Hungary Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Sandor Beer, said he was impressed with the conduct of the players and officials throughout the duration of the competition.
Beer charged the selected players to good ambassadors of Nigeria as they prepared for a new career development in Hungary.
He also advised them to be honest with their age declarations as falsehood will not take them anywhere.
On his part, Karolly said it was a tedious task in the selection of the eight players as the players who participated in the competition have the potential to excel if only they can remain steadfast in area of discipline.
He said the selected players will join selected football Academies in Hungary, where some previously selected Nigerians have excelled.
The Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director, Bitrus Bewarang said that with what he saw in the competition, the sky is the limit for young players in the country.
He noted that this factor to developed football across the country necessitated the NFF Board to introduce various initiatives at the grassroot level.
He called on football academies in the country to invest in younger players, who will form the next generation of top stars.
The organiser of the competition, Ndidi Edede expressed appreciation to the Hungary Embassy in Nigeria for its support.
Edede, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Dreamland Academy, Aba, said the competition has come to stay as his own way of helping the talented players explore other options for a better career.
