Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf, member Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Monday called for regular grassroots football competitions across the nation to entrench the game on budding talents.
Yusuf made the call during the 2019 Minna Emir’s Football Competition finals in Minna, Niger.
The NFF member spoke against the backdrop of Nigeria’s poor performance in the knockout stage of the recently concluded 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil.
“We have to go back to the grassroots football competitions in order to catch them young.
“We will do everything possible to make sure that what happened in Brazil recently will not repeat itself in future.”
He said that it was better to build the game from the U-13 youth championships across the country.
Yusuf explained that regular grassroots competitions would regenerate the game and impact positively on budding talents across country.
“Our players will graduate from one stage to another making Nigeria a good football nation,’’ he said.
Yusuf, who is also the chairman Niger State Football Association (NSFA), urged the 25 Local Government Areas in the state to always organise grassroots football competitions.
He said that the Minna Emirate Council football competition was organised to honour the Emir, Alhaji Umar Bahago where 36 football clubs participated.
The Minna branch of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria’s FC of Minna won the competition.
The Bridge Boys FC of Barkinsali emerged runners up, while Niger Golden Boys FC of Minna emerged in the third position. (NAN)
