Tag: Football

  • Barcelona’s Pique Announces Retirement From Football

    Barcelona’s Pique Announces Retirement From Football

    Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique, on Thursday announced his retirement.

    According to the 35-year-old, he will play his last home game at the Camp Nou.

    He will retire after Barcelona’s away game next week, before the Spanish league stops for several weeks due to the World Cup.

    Saturday’s match between Barcelona and Almeria will be Pique’s final game.

    A social media message from the Spaniard said: “I’ve always said that there would be no other team after Barcelona and that’s how it will be.”

    “This Saturday’s game will be my last at the Camp Nou.

    “I will become another fan and support the team and pass my love for Barcelona onto my kids, like parents did for me.”

  • BREAKING: Barcelona striker, Sergio Aguero announces his retirement from football

    BREAKING: Barcelona striker, Sergio Aguero announces his retirement from football

    Sergio Aguero confirmed his immediate retirement from playing football in an emotional press conference on Wednesday.

    The former Manchester City star moved on a free transfer to Barcelona in the summer, but injury and the club’s financial constraints in initially registering him as a new player meant he didn’t debut until 17 October.

    And just two weeks later, in what was only his fifth appearance for the club, he came off with chest pains against Alaves – leading to the Catalan club saying he would not play for another three months while tests were undertaken.

    He was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia and, subsequently, has now opted to end his time on the pitch, having been advised of medical risks if he continued.

    “This conference is to announce I have decided to stop playing professional football,” Aguero said through tears, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola among those in attendance.

    “It is a very difficult moment. The decision I have taken for my health; the problem I had a month and a half ago. I have been in good hands with the medical staff. I made the decision 10 days ago after doing everything possible to have some hope of playing on.

    “I am very proud of my career. I always dreamed of a professional career since the first time I touched a ball at five.

    “I want to thank Atletico Madrid, who took a chance on me when I was 18, and Manchester City. Everyone knows how I feel about City and how well they treated me there.

    Aguero retires after a career spanning nearly 700 matches almost 400 goals with Independiente, Atletico Madrid, Man City and Barcelona. In addition, the 33-year-old won 101 caps with Argentina, the last of which came during the nation’s successful Copa America run in the summer. He is one of just seven centurions for the national team.

    ‘Kun’, as he is known in Spain, netted 41 times at senior international level after making his senior Albiceleste debut in 2006, making him the third-highest all-time goalscorer for Argentina behind only Lionel Messi and Gabriel Batistitua.

    He had signed a two-year deal with Barcelona, but his shortened time there means he scored just the one goal for his final club, having netted just over 100 for Atleti and then become City’s all-time record goalscorer by a massive margin, hitting 260 for them in 10 seasons at the club.

    All this came after he made his debut in Argentina’s top flight aged just 15, before also becoming the youngest-ever player to feature in the Copa Libertadores at the time and completing a club-record transfer to Atletico in LaLiga.

    His best goalscoring season saw him hit 33 across 45 games in all competitions for Man City in 16/17, while in nine separate seasons he hit the 25-goal mark for the campaign in total.

    Aguero won the Europa League with his first Spanish club, before racking up five league titles, the same number of League Cup triumphs and one FA Cup win at the Etihad Stadium. In addition to his Copa America medal in 2021, he was a 2008 Olympic gold medallist with Argentina and twice was a member of the U20 World Cup-winning squad.

  • Uniting Agalaba through football

    Uniting Agalaba through football

    By Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu

    It was a delight on Sunday 17th standing on the commentary stand with my friend, Bliss Chukwunenye Ekwenye running live commentaries for the grand finale of the Agalaba Unity Cup. Agalaba is one of the political blocs in Obingwa.

    The local government is divided into Uhie and Agalaba. Agalaba ( Obingwa East) houses five wards out of the 11 wards that constitute the local government.
    The event took place at Umuobiakwa Primary School, the doorstep of our amiable Governor, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu (PhD).
    The game was a delight to watch.

    It was a game between two football giants in Agalaba, Ward 7 and Ward 8.
    There was tensed atmosphere with breathtaking moments.What informed the excitements was the agitation if Ward 8, the defending champions would carry the trophy back to back. True to expectations and counter expectations, the Ward 8 lads carried the day.

    Similar to their feat in the 2019/2020 edition, they lifted the trophy through penalty shootouts when they converted all their kicks. Unfortunately, Ward 7 lost their opener and this gave Ward 8 an edge.

    Ward 7 trailed behind 1-0 during regulation time to level score at the second half.
    Ward 8 showed a brilliant and superior ball possession during the first half.

    But the table was turned around during second half when Ward 7 adjusted their formation and approach to the game- opening the flanks and engaging in more proactive attack.

    Their attacking force was highly rejigged and this produced the equaliser through Chiedozie- the wonder boy of the tournament. 
    Chiedozie’s soccer prowess is a story for another day. Thank God my friend, Chibuzo Nwaogu, the Secretary of Enyimba International Football Club of Aba, took a special interest on him.
    Like every other human endeavour that is not devoid of errors and hiccups, the just concluded edition of the competition experienced several hiccups.

    The competition was nearly brought to an abrupt end. But thank God for the resilience of some of the organising committee members. Kudos to the chairman of the committee, George Chidozie, Nkwachi Brown, Chijioke Sunday, among others.

    I believe that the subsequent committees of the tournament will draw from the previous editions to improve the competition.
    The competition is organised by Agalaba Patriotic Forum, a socio-political group in Agalaba.

    The president of the group, Michael Dimiri has been highly instrumental to the successes of the competition.

  • Chelsea boss considers training changes amid dementia in football concerns

    Chelsea boss considers training changes amid dementia in football concerns

    Frank Lampard has revealed he is considering adapting Chelsea’s training over concerns with the number of former footballers developing dementia.

    Nobby Stiles passed away last month, following Jack Charlton, Martin Peters and Ray Wilson as England 1966 Word Cup heroes to have died after suffering from the same illness, while Jack Charlton’s brother Sir Bobby Charlton has also recently been diagnosed with dementia.

    Another England World Cup winner, Sir Geoff Hurst, has spoken about how he thinks children should be banned from heading the ball while playing football.

    Lampard is in favour of tougher rules in youth football and believes a similar approach could be adopted at the professional level, as long as it was universally agreed and adhered to.

    Reflecting on the issue at his news conference on Thursday, the Chelsea boss said: “The rules need to be stronger to make sure we’re not making younger children head it if they don’t need to. In the development game, that’s more than possible.

    “We have to start with youth football. When children are developing, we can control the levels of training. Anything we can do to make things safer, we should.

    “I think we can work up the pyramid. Already, I’m certainly considering it in terms of how we train here because of the seriousness of the issue.

    “At the professional level, the small gains are huge and we need to make sure we’re working under the same guidelines and trust each other that we are.

    “At the moment, there are no guidelines. It has to be something that goes across the board.”

    Aston Villa manager and former defender Dean Smith, whose father, Ron, had the condition for six years before passing away in May after contracting coronavirus, revealed his concerns and says he would support changes, if further research shows a correlation.

    “I think it’s a question for a wider debate until we have the full science data about heading the ball,” Smith said.

    “I was a defender and my game was about heading a football. Yes it is a concern. If the data comes out and shows a correlation. We’d need to change something.

    “I recently lost my father through covid but he also had dementia and he was not a footballer. Dementia and Alzheimer’s is more prevalent throughout the world now unfortunately but I think if there is a correlation between heading a football and dementia then we need to do something.

    “There’s a lot of people putting in money and intelligence to find out if there is a correlation between heading and dementia. The balls were heavier back then. We are all saddened about the former players who are suffering with dementia at the moment.”

    Burnley manager Sean Dyche has echoed Lampard’s view that changes are needed at youth level and said he has long argued for the use of softer balls for younger players.

    “From working in the youth system at Watford, my view has always been that from a young age they should be learning with sponge balls,” Dyche said.

    “It’s about technique. When you head the ball properly and appropriately you don’t get the same knock-on effect.

    “From the medical side, they’ll know at what age it becomes appropriate to start using a real football.

    “A lot is made of the game being different now, but if you look at the stats, you’ve still got to head the ball at some point from goal kicks or corners. Unless they’re going to take that away but I don’t think that would be a good spectacle.

    “No one wants anyone having future problems and certainly not with the brain.”

  • Facing Manchester City is ‘the most difficult game in the world of football’ – Klopp

    Facing Manchester City is ‘the most difficult game in the world of football’ – Klopp

    Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp claims facing Manchester City is “the most difficult game in the world of football”, but does not expect the meeting with the Citizens on Sunday to be a Premier League title decider.

    Two teams that have dominated the domestic scene in English football over recent seasons are set to rekindle their rivalry at the Etihad Stadium. There will be plenty on the line when they lock horns, with Liverpool looking to take another positive step towards defending their top-flight crown while City are eager to wrestle it back.

    READ ALSO: Solskjaer backs himself to be Manchester United success

    Both line-ups will be loaded with world-class talent, which has allowed them to collect an enviable haul of major silverware under their respective bosses.

    Big money has been spent by both ambitious outfits on opposing sides of the North West divide, with City having opened their chequebook again over the summer.

    Klopp is expecting the toughest of tests when he sends his troops into battle, with Liverpool’s impressive recent record against City counting for little against an opponent that has firmly established a standing among the global elite.

    “It is not important whether we play home or away, it is important we are brave, we play football with all we have and then we have a chance,” Klopp told reporters at his pre-match press conference. “This is the most difficult game in the world of football I would say, to play against Manchester City.”

    The outcome of meetings between two title hopefuls has often determined the destination of a top-flight crown down the years, with many suggesting that Sunday’s fixture could have a big say in the 2020-21 race.

    Klopp is not buying that, with the German tactician adding: “It looks like even you think it is not a decider, so come on. It is a very, very difficult game and hopefully for both teams, both will perform on a high level but that is it. So many things are different this year, nothing is comparable to last year. 

    “Everything is different so we just have to make sure we go through very intense periods, line up with the fittest players we have and take on Manchester City, one of the most difficult opponents in the world. 

    “I enjoy these games but it doesn’t make it easier.”

  • Election, not coronavirus, knocks out football in Burundi

    Election, not coronavirus, knocks out football in Burundi

    Burundi, the last African country to allow football to continue through the ongoing period of coronavirus pandemic, suspended its league on Monday.

    But, in doing so, it made no reference to the stoppage being linked to the threat of the deadly virus.

    Instead, Burundi Football Federation (BFF) president Reverien Ndikuriyo told a press conference in Bujumbura the suspension was to allow the federation to re-assess venues for matches.

    He said this was because some facilities might have to be used for upcoming election rallies.

    A general election will be held in Burundi on May 20 to elect both the president and the National Assembly.

    The BFF decision was taken at a meeting on Monday, and the federation said it was “re-arranging its fixture calendar”.

    It added it was satisfied that the league and cup competitions were well on target for a May 30 completion date.

    Ndikuriyo made no reference to the health risks of continuing to proceed with league and cup matches.

    He however called on players, officials and spectators to observe preventative measure recommended by the government.

    Spectators at matches in Burundi have had their temperatures taken and hands sprayed with disinfectant on entrance to match venues in recent weeks.

    A committee will decide on when the league and cup competitions will resume, the federation said in a statement.

    Cup quarter-final matches were played at the weekend, while the league championship has only three rounds still to complete.

    The small East African nation announced its first coronavirus cases on March 31, and its health ministry has since confirmed five cases of the virus.(Reuters/NAN)

  • Infantino says football will be totally different after coronavirus

    Infantino says football will be totally different after coronavirus

    Football will be totally different when it eventually resumes after the coronavirus outbreak, the head of global body FIFA Gianni Infantino said on Thursday.

    “Football will come back, and when it does, we’ll celebrate coming out of a nightmare together,” he told the Italian news agency ANSA in an interview.

    “There is one lesson, however, that both you and me must have understood: the football that will come after the virus will be totally different…(more) inclusive, more social and more supportive, connected to the individual countries and at the same time more global, less arrogant and more welcoming.”

    He added: “We will be better, more human and more attentive to true values.”

    Last week, Infantino told Italian sports media outfit Gazzetta dello Sport that it was the right time to take a step back.

    He added that it was time to reform a sport where fixture lists have become overloaded and financial resources increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few elite clubs.

    Infantino suggested there could be “fewer, but more interesting tournaments. Maybe fewer squads, but more balance. Fewer, but more competitive, matches to safeguard the health of the players.”

    Later on Thursday, Infantino told the annual congress of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) that “it is our responsibility as football administrators, first of all, to ensure football can survive and secondly move forward once again.”

    “On the international match calendar we have to look for global solutions to tackle these global problems in a spirit of cooperation and solidarity,” Infantino said in a video link from Zurich.

    “Everyone has different interests, but we must talk and put on the table topics that we perhaps didn’t discuss in the past.’’(Reuters/NAN)

  • Kano Govt to buy N98m kits for 1,792 football clubs

    Kano Govt to buy N98m kits for 1,792 football clubs

    Kano State Government has approved N98 million for the procurement of kits for 1,792 registered football clubs in the state.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba and made available to newsmen on Monday in Kano.

    “The items will be distributed to 1, 792 registered football teams include, 2,000 sets of jerseys; two sets of goalkeepers jersey for 2, 000 teams; 2,000 pieces of bags, 2, 000 pieces of jotters and two pieces of balls per team.”

    The commissioner said other approvals granted by the state Executive Council include the asphaltung NNDC Quarters road at N48.85 million; N24.5 million to procure vehicles for Government House Press Crew, and N19.4 million for rehabilitation and training of drug dependant youth at the Kano Reformatory Institute, Kiru. (NAN) (more…)

  • NFF member calls for regular grassroots competitions in Nigeria

    NFF member calls for regular grassroots competitions in Nigeria

    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)