International Football
SUPER EAGLES TO FACE ENGLAND IN PRE-WORLD CUP FRIENDLY
BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA.
The Super Eagles will play a pre-World Cup friendly match with England, the UK-based Skysport has reported, quoting the general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mohammed Sanusi. Skysports however pointed out that it was yet to get a confirmation from The FA, the football governing body of England on the proposed match.
“We plan to play a friendly against England in June, before the World Cup,” Sanusi was quoted by Skysports as saying, adding that the venue and other details of the match were still to be worked out.
Both nations will feature at next year’s World Cup in Russia, with Nigeria drawn in Group D along with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland, while Gareth Southgate’s England will play Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in Group G.
While England might be using Nigeria to gauge what to expect from Tunisia, the Super Eagles would use England as a test case for the duo of European sides, Croatia and Iceland. The latter eliminated England from Euro 2016.
According to Skysport, England are scheduled to play the Netherlands in a friendly on March 23 before hosting Italy four days later. They will meet Tunisia in their World Cup opener at the Volgograd Arena on June 18, the same venue where Nigeria will face Iceland on June 22.
England and Nigeria last played at the 2002 World Cup in Osaka, Japan on June 12, 2002 in a match Coach Adegboye Onigbinde had to ring changes from the earlier line-up of Nigeria in the preceding matches with Argentina and Sweden.
Vincent Enyeama was handed his first World Cup cap. So also was Femi Opabunmi. Before then, the Super Eagles had played a friendly match with England on June 16, 1995 when Amodu Shaibu made his managerial debut with Nigeria.
The encounter, in which the Super Eagles first put on Nike kits, ended 1-0 in favour of England at the old Wembley Stadium.
16 NOV 1994: Finidi George OF Nigeria challenges Dennis Wise of England in the very first encounter of both countries. Nigeria debuted with a new Nike kits and coach- Amodu Shuaibu.
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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