Sports
FIFA rankings: Babangida disappointed as Nigeria slips to sixth in Africa, 40th globally
FIFA rankings: Babangida disappointed as Nigeria slips to sixth in Africa, 40th globally
Nigeria’s senior male football team, the Super Eagles, dropped further in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday.
Former Super Eagles winger, Tijani Babangida has expressed disappointment with the team’s drop in the latest FIFA ranking.
The Super Eagles dropped from 35th to 40th position in the latest rankings released by FIFA .
Jose Peseiro’s side also dropped to sixth position in Africa.
Babangida was quoted as saying, “It’s really disappointing to see the Super Eagles go down in the ranking. It was as a result of the defeat to Guinea-Bissau and recent results”
“I strongly believe that the Super Eagles will bounce back from this setback. The team will fight back, I’m sure of that.
“We look forward to the next qualifiers and I’m sure they will win the games against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe.”
It will be recalled that Nigeria’s best ranking was in 1994 when the country was ranked 5th while its worst ranking was in 1999 when the Super Eagles were ranked 82 in the world.
Nigeria was Africa’s fifth-best team, trailing FIFA World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, African champions Senegal, Tunisia, and Cameroon. But in the latest rating, Egypt has overtaken Nigeria and climbed into fifth place. Cameroon dropped three spots, from fourth to eighth.
World champions Argentina moved to the summit, supplanting South American rivals, Brazil.
FIFA, in a release, said, “Six years after last topping the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, Argentina (1st, plus 1) are once again at the summit of world football.
“Recent friendly wins against Panama (2-0) and Curaçao (7-0) helped the world champions dethrone Brazil (3rd, minus 2), who paid a high price for defeat in their friendly against Morocco (2-1).”
The release also revealed that the Central African Republic have been the most improved side since the last ranking (122nd, plus 10).
The Super Eagles will have the chance to improve their ranking in June when they travel to Freetown to face Sierra Leone in a continuation of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.
Sports
La Liga President confirms Mbappe to Real Madrid move
La Liga President confirms Mbappe to Real Madrid move
La Liga president Javier Tebas says Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe will join Real Madrid next season.
“He’s Madrid’s next season, yes,” Tebas told Argentine daily sports newspaper Ole on Monday. “If they’ve signed a five-year deal, he has five seasons of opportunity (to win the Champions League).”
Mbappe is set to join a star-studded Madrid team led by Brazil’s Vinicius Junior and England international Jude Bellingham.
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Los Blancos strolled to the Spanish title and are in the Champions League final at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund on June 1.
”(Mbappe) is one of the best players in the world, but Vinicius and Bellingham are there too, Madrid will have a great squad,” continued Tebas. “But that does not guarantee you will win leagues.”
Mbappe is PSG’s all-time record scorer with 256 goals, having joined the club from Monaco in 2017 for 180 million euros ($194 million).
With PSG he won six French league titles but failed to earn Champions League glory, finishing as runners-up to Bayern Munich in 2020.
By joining record 14-time winners Real Madrid, Mbappe would increase his chances of finally earning club football’s most prestigious trophy.
La Liga President confirms Mbappe to Real Madrid move
Sports
Juventus beat Atalanta to win Coppa Italia
Juventus beat Atalanta to win Coppa Italia
Juventus won their first major trophy in three years as they beat Atalanta 1-0 to lift a record-extending 15th Coppa Italia.
Dusan Vlahovic scored the only goal in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico after just four minutes when he received Andrea Cambiaso’s pass before finishing from 12 yards out.
The Serbia striker later had a goal disallowed for offside.
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Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman and Juve’s Fabio Miretti hit the woodwork late on.
Under-pressure Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, who has won a record five Coppas Italia, was sent off towards the end of the game for dissent.
Atalanta’s wait to win a first trophy since the 1963 Coppa Italia goes on – but they have another chance to end that drought next week with the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin.
Juventus beat Atalanta to win Coppa Italia
Sports
Palmer scores as Chelsea beat Brighton to go sixth
Palmer scores as Chelsea beat Brighton to go sixth
Cole Palmer’s brilliant season with Chelsea continued as his goal helped the Blues boost their European qualification hopes with a win at Brighton in the Premier League.
Palmer netted his 22nd league strike of the season, meeting Marc Cucurella’s cross with a looping header into the far corner in the 34th minute.
And the visitors added a second 14 minutes after the restart when Christopher Nkunku coolly dispatched Malo Gusto’s cutback.
Having been so dominant Chelsea gifted Brighton a way back into the game when substitute Reece James – playing just his second match in 2024 after coming back from a long-term injury – was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Joao Pedro.
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In the 97th-minute Danny Welbeck netted to halve the deficit, tapping in a Pedro cross, but the visitors held on.
Chelsea moved up to sixth in the table and currently sit in a Europa League spot.
They will guarantee a place in Europe next season if they claim a point at home to Bournemouth on the final day.
Brighton fell to a seventh defeat in ninth matches but remain in 10th place.
Palmer scores as Chelsea beat Brighton to go sixth
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