International Football
BREAKING: AMERICA – BOUND IGHALO CONSIDERS RETURN TO SUPER EAGLES
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
With time running out on his loan spell at Manchester United, Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo is now considering a return to Super Eagles and a possible move to America’s Major League Soccer, MLS.
The striker whose last year’s January last day transfer to Manchester United hit global headlines told ESPN’s popular Interview programme, ‘Alexis Meet Nunes’ on Thursday that he was in good communication with Super Eagles’ manager and a return to the national team may be in the offing.
“I have good relationship with Gernot Rohr and at a time he wanted me to return to the team because he finds it difficult to seeing me play for Manchester United and not playing again for the Super Eagles.
“Although I retired from the team very early due to injury before the AFCON for eight weeks and unfortunately, I left the tournament with another injury and considering the travels from China wasn’t good from for me and have to look at other options of giving the younger ones a chance.
“I miss everyone in the team and if the need arises, I will want to play at another World Cup finals or the African Cup of Nations if not both tournaments but for now I will want the young lads to enjoy themselves,” he said in the television interview.
In a related development, with his loan move from Chinese side, Shanghai Shenhua, set to end on Jan. 31 after a year at Old Trafford the Nigerian star is waiting before making a decision on his next move but has said he would “love” the opportunity to play in the U.S.
“Today, I’m in Manchester but at the end of the month I don’t know where I’m going to be,” Ighalo told ESPN. “If it’s possible I’d like to stay here but if not I have to go.
“I have options. I wait for my agent. He is doing his job and I’m doing mine. At the end of the month, we have to decide what is best and we’ll take it. If it’s possible I’d like to play in MLS but I have to wait to see if it’s possible.
“The league is doing well and if the opportunity arises then I’d grab it with two hands,” he said.
In the finals days of the loan spell at Manchester United, things are not rosy for the Nigerian the arrival of Uruguay star, Edinson Cavani in the summer, it is unlikely United will extend Ighalo’s stay.
But if he leaves at the end of the month, the 31-year-old said he will do so having fulfilled his dream of playing for the team he supported as a boy in Lagos.
“I never believed I’d play for United,” he said. “Where I come from, we fight because of United games.
“We quarrel. We argue. When my team hasn’t done well, I’ve cried. I grew my love for United since I was young and I’m the happiest man on Earth for my dream to come true. I’ve fulfilled my dream to play for Man United.”
It was a surprise when United turned to Ighalo to fill the void left by the injured Marcus Rashford in January 2020. And not least to Ighalo himself.
“When the talk started I didn’t believe it,” he said. “I didn’t believe my agent.
“But I got a call from my agent that Man United wanted to do the deal at about 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Shanghai time and I didn’t sleep until day break.
“They said I would need to take a pay cut but I said I don’t care, whatever the pay cut needs to be, just make this deal happen. This is my dream. I was on my bed praying. I didn’t sleep for two days. I didn’t believe it until I landed at Manchester airport.”
Ighalo made a key contribution to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team at the end of last season, scoring five goals in 19 appearances as United reached the semifinals of the FA Cup and Europa League, as well as finishing third in the Premier League to secure a return to the Champions League.
He has found opportunities harder to come by this term but it has not dented his appreciation for the chance to live out his dream.
“I’m a professional, I don’t make trouble and I don’t complain,” he said. “I just go to training and give my best.
“Lately I haven’t been playing much but it’s the coach’s decision. If I’m not in the team and give them 100% support. The team is doing well and that’s the most important thing.”
International Football
Again, it is #DestinationMorocco as FIFA takes Women’s Series 2025 to the Kingdom
By Kunle Solaja
FIFA has officially confirmed that the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 will be hosted by Morocco, with the opening matches scheduled to kick off on Sunday, October 26.
The event marks yet another milestone for Moroccan football, further cementing the kingdom’s growing stature as a global hub for the sport.
The upcoming tournament promises historic firsts for women’s football. The Afghan Women United team—formed from Afghan players living in exile—will play their first-ever international match, while Chad and Libya will make their FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking debuts at the conclusion of the round-robin competition.
In a statement, FIFA expressed gratitude to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) for its collaboration and reiterated its commitment to advancing women’s football globally. The world football governing body also reaffirmed its support for Afghan women footballers, no
ting that the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025, continues to guide the federation’s inclusive efforts.
“FIFA looks forward to working closely with the FMRF to host a successful and symbolic tournament that showcases the unifying power of football,” the organization said.
As part of that effort, FIFA confirmed that Afghan Women United was selected as the team’s new official name following consultations with players—a symbolic gesture reflecting unity, resilience, and identity amid global challenges.
Morocco: A Flourishing Football Destination
Morocco’s selection as host comes at a time when the North African nation’s football profile is soaring. The country is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and, just this week, celebrated another historic milestone as its U-20 men’s team clinched the FIFA U-20 World Cup title—a triumph widely viewed as the fruit of a long-term national sports vision.
A Victory Rooted in Royal Vision
The Lion Cubs’ success is no accident. It stems from a deliberate and structured sports policy championed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has consistently positioned sport as a catalyst for human, social, and territorial development. Since the National Sports Conference of 2008, the King’s leadership has inspired a generation of athletes and administrators to see football as both a unifying national force and a tool for youth empowerment.
The Mohammed VI Football Academy: Cradle of Excellence
Central to Morocco’s football renaissance is the Mohammed VI Football Academy (AMF), inaugurated in 2010. The academy epitomizes the royal vision of using sport as a means of education, personal growth, and international competitiveness. Five players from the victorious U-20 squad—Yassir Zabir, Othmane Kountoune, Fouad Zahouani, Houssam Essadak, and Yassine Khalifi—are proud graduates of the academy.
Investing in Infrastructure and Inclusion
Morocco’s nationwide expansion of local playing fields, regional training centres, and modern football facilities has created a fertile ground for nurturing young talent. This democratization of access to sport has shaped a new generation of Moroccan youth—disciplined, skilled, and confident on the global stage.
The success of both the Atlas Lions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Atlas Lionesses, who reached the knockout stages of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, reflects the depth of this comprehensive strategy.
A Beacon of African and Arab Football
With the hosting of the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 and the country’s string of international achievements, Morocco continues to position itself as a pioneer in African and Arab football. Its success is more than athletic—it is symbolic of a nation where sport drives progress, unity, and pride.
As the Afghan Women United, Chad, and Libya prepare to make history in Morocco this October, the Kingdom once again proves that its football journey is not only national but inspirational—anchored in vision, excellence, and the unifying power of the beautiful game.
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Brazil will round off their 2025 calendar with two friendly matches in Europe next month, taking on Senegal and Tunisia as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) announced on Thursday.
The five-time world champions, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will face Senegal on November 15 at Emirates Stadium in London and, three days later, they will meet Tunisia in Lille, France.
The CBF announced that these fixtures were designed to “provide the team with valuable experience against African opposition” ahead of next year’s tournament in North America.
After the conclusion of the South American qualifiers, the choice of opponents follows October’s encounters against Asian teams, which saw Brazil beat South Korea 5-0 but suffer a stunning first defeat to Japan.
With coach Ancelotti facing limited preparation time after arriving in May from Real Madrid, the matches form part of a broader plan to expose Brazil to a variety of playing styles in preparation for next year’s the World Cup.
Looking ahead to March 2026, the CBF has indicated that Brazil’s next set of friendlies will likely be against top-level European nations, with the U.S. as the expected venue.
Ancelotti has been steadily implementing his vision for the squad and has emphasised the importance of adapting to diverse tactical challenges, particularly against teams from other continents.
CBF sources indicated that the plan for the three remaining international breaks would be to make final observations regarding players and tactical adjustments in November, lock in the starting line-up in March and strengthen ties with Brazilian fans with a final friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana before departing for the tournament.
The upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia will provide an opportunity to test Brazil’s readiness against two of Africa’s strongest sides.
Senegal boast a formidable squad featuring Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Kalidou Koulibaly. They shocked Brazil 4-2 in their last encounter, a friendly played in Lisbon two years ago.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are known for their defensive organisation and have consistently performed well in African competitions.
Back in September they were the second African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with two games to spare.
-Reuters
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Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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