International Football
Ikenne, Osibajo’s hometown, showcases football talents at the English Premiership
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
When the English Premiership kicks off for the 2021/22 football season on 13 August, at least three players from Ikenne, the home town of Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osibajo, will be in action.
From hardcore politics to sports, the narrative is changing for the town which is the melting pot for South West politics having produced the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The geographical urban village is noted for producing the highest number per square metre of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN). Till date, there have been over 20 SANs to have emerged from the town.
The town boasts of eminent jurists. Apart from Awolowo, Vice President Osibajo, a professor, is one of the SANs including a former Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Kehinde Sofola and the town also simultaneously had the Attorney General of Lagos and Ogun states when two brothers – Yemi and Akin were on the saddle from 2003 to 2007.
Social commentator, Tai Solarin was also one of the illustrious sons of Ikenne. From politics and legal practice, the town is now edging into producing football stars.
With a fast rising football club, Remo Stars owned by Kunle Soname who is also the first Nigerian to acquire a foreign club as the owner of Clube Desportivo Feirenses, in the Liga Portugal 2club in the Portuguese league, Ikenne will in the next English Football Season line out three of its products.
Michael Obafemi, a Nigerian-born Irish player is of Ikenne parentage and will be featuring for Southampton.
Last season, he dealt a devastating blow on Manchester United’s initial attempt at top four when he scored a last minute goal that made United to tumble from third position to the fifth.
Next is another Ikenne son, Dapo Mebude has just completed a move from Scottish side, Glasgow Rangers to English Premiership side, Watford.
The 19 year old was one of the six players of Nigerian roots that the NFF president, Amaju Pinnick met at the weekend during Oghenekaro Etebo’s first training session with the Vicarage Road side.
The other Nigerians at Watford are William Ekong, Emmanuel Dennis and former junior internationals, Isaac Success and Tom Dele-Bashiru.
Dapo Mebude, whose father, Babtunde Awokoya-Mebude has sports running in the family. He was a striker during his secondary school days at United High School in Ikenne in the 1980s.
His first son, Adedoyin is into athletics and had a stint in sprint. He set up an outfit called Totalsocceplus which now manages his siblings.
Both Adedoyin and Dapo have a younger brother, Dire Mebude who has just signed a professional contract with Premiership champions, Manchester City.
Dire Mebude was initially with Manchester City youth side, but the pacy striker has now graduated to the main squad.
Both Dapo and Dire were born in London before their parents moved to Scotland and after attending an open soccer school event organised by Glasgow Rangers rose from youth side into the club’s main squad.
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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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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