Sports
Osimhen, Oshoala nominated for Ballon d’Or
Nigerian duo of Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala have been shortlisted for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award in the men’s and women’s categories.
The prestigious ceremony will take place in Paris on October 30. Both players enjoyed an incredible year for club and country.
Osimhen currently the leading scorer in the African Cup of Nations qualifying series with seven goals, becomes the first male Nigerian footballer to be shortlisted for the award in 24 years.
Former captain Nwankwo Kanu was the last Nigerian star to be shortlisted for the award in 1999.
The 24-year-old made history as the first African to be crowned Capocannoniere last season in the Serie A and the Napoli striker is the first player from the continent to achieve the feat winning the Scudetto after scoring 26 Serie A goals (31 goals in 39 games across all competitions).
Oshoala on her part, earned her consecutive nomination after a successful campaign with Barcelona Femeni where she won the Women’s Champions League.
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Last year, she became the first African to be nominated for the Women’s Ballon d’Or and this time, she is the only African player listed in the women’s category.
The 28-year-old was the top scorer for Barcelona Femeni last season after she notched 26 goals (21 league goals and five in the Women’s Champions League) in all competitions.
She was also instrumental in Barcelona Femeni winning the league title and the Women’s Champions League last season.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is the favourite to win a record eighth title after captaining Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar. However, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are both likely to be strong contenders considering their impressive form in the year under review.
Other players shortlisted are Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane, Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Julian Alvarez and Ilkay Gundogan.
Others are Nicolo Barella, Jude Bellingham, Karim Benzema, Yassine Bounou, Antoine Griezmann, Josko Gvardiol, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Robert Lewandowski, Randal Muani, Emiliano Martinez, Lautaro Martinez, Kim Min-Kae, Luka Modric, Jamal Musiala, Andre Onana and Vinicius Jr.
The 20 nominees for the Women’s Ballon d’Or Award are Aitana Bonmati, Millie Bright, Linda Caicedo, Olga Carmona, Rachel Daly, Debinha, Mary Earps, Patricia Guijarro, Yui Hasegawa, Amanda Ilestedt, Diani Kadidiatou, Sam Kerr, Mapi Leon, Katie McCabe, Hinata Miyazawa.
Lena Oberdorf, Asisat Oshoala, Ewa Pajor, Salma Paralluelo, Alexandra Popp, Hayley Raso, Alba Redondo, Guro Reiten, Wendie Renard, Fridolina Rolfo, Jill Roord, Khadija Shaw, Sophia Smith, Georgia Stanway and Daphne Van Domselaar are the other players on the shortlist.
Bellingham is in the mix for the main prize and U-21 award, named the Kopa Trophy, as is Manchester United’s new boy Rasmus Hojlund after his impressive season with Atalanta last time out.
Arsenal stopper Aaron Ramsdale has been nominated for the Yashin Trophy, given to the best goalkeeper over the course of the year. Ramsdale is joined by another of United’s summer signings, Andre Onana, Manchester City’s Ederson and World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez.
Sports
Iheanacho, Ndidi’s Leicester City secure promotion back to EPL
Iheanacho, Ndidi’s Leicester City secure promotion back to EPL
Leicester City were promoted to the Premier League on Friday after rivals Leeds United crashed to a shock 4-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers.
The result leaves Leicester City top of the Championship with 94 points with two games to play while Leeds stay second on 90 but with just one match left.
Third-place Ipswich Town can pip Leeds to the second automatic promotion place as they currently have 89 points with three matches still to play.
Enzo Maresca’s Leicester City achieved promotion at the first time of asking having been relegated from the Premier League last season following a third-from-bottom finish.
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Their final two games begin with a trip to Preston on Monday, before they round off the season with a home finale against Blackburn on May 4.
Leeds will find themselves outside the top two if Ipswich beat Hull on Saturday, or Coventry win their game in hand on Tuesday.
Should Ipswich win both, they will be promoted while Leeds will have to enter the play-offs.
On Friday goals from Ilias Chair, Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field gave QPR victory and guaranteed their survival in England’s second-tier.
Iheanacho, Ndidi’s Leicester City secure promotion back to EPL
Sports
Ronaldo playing in Saudi league for money like me – Ighalo
Ronaldo playing in Saudi league for money like me – Ighalo
Ex-Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has disclosed that the decision of Cristiano Ronaldo and other top footballers to ply their trade in Saudi Arabia was informed by pecuniary motives.
Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr last year in a stunning three-year deal that would see him earn €210.704 million in total.
Other top footballers, who have made names for themselves in Europe, have also moved to Saudi Arabia as the the oil-rich middle east nation injected massive cash into league in order to make it a football powerhouse.
Reacting to the move of Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia and the influx of big players to the Saudi league, Ighalo said the motivation behind these moves was money and not passion.
Ighalo made this known during an interview with sport journalist, Oma Akatugba.
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He said. “See people that are going to Saudi Arabia, big players. Is Ronaldo still playing for passion? He has made more than 100 times what I have in my life, but he still went to Saudi. You want to tell me that is passion? No, it’s for money.
“It’s only when we Africans say it they will say we like money. But these people don’t care, some of them want to be highest paid and all that,”
Ighalo left mainstream Europe for Chang Chung Yatai in 2017 after playing for Lyn, Udinese, Granada, Cesena, and Watford.
At Yatai, he earned a reported €200,000 weekly salary, before moving to Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua where he also commanded a similar wage.
Ighalo spent one year in Shanghai before moving to Manchester United on a six-month loan deal.
After that, the 34-year-old joined Al Shabbab, where he started earning €170,000.
Ronaldo playing in Saudi league for money like me – Ighalo
Sports
MLS: Messi’s double keeps Miami on top of the league table
MLS: Messi’s double keeps Miami on top of the league table
Lionel Messi showcased his brilliance with a double and an assist for Sergio Busquets as Inter Miami secured a 3-1 victory over Nashville on Saturday, keeping them at the summit of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.
Despite a shaky start that saw Franco Negri inadvertently deflect a corner into Miami’s net within two minutes, Messi swiftly equalized in the 11th minute after Luis Suarez redirected a rebounded shot from the Argentine.
Messi continued to menace Nashville’s defense, narrowly missing another goal before providing an exquisite cross for Diego Gomez, whose header was denied by Nashville keeper Elliot Panicco.
Miami capitalized on their momentum as Busquets, Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, nodded in a corner just before halftime, giving Miami a well-deserved lead.
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However, Miami suffered a setback as Gomez was stretchered off with an ankle injury, adding to their injury woes.
Although Nashville dominated possession in the second half, Miami remained resolute defensively. In the 81st minute, Messi sealed the win by converting a penalty after Leonardo Afonso was fouled in the box.
With this victory, Messi extended his impressive goal-scoring record to nine goals in as many games across all competitions for Miami.
Reflecting on Miami’s performance, manager Gerardo Martino praised his team’s resilience, particularly considering their depleted squad due to injuries.
Despite Miami’s success, Columbus Crew faced a tough battle, twice coming from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against Phil Neville’s Portland Timbers.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati clinched a 2-1 win over Atlanta United, with Luciano Acosta playing a pivotal role in their comeback victory. This highlights an eventful day in Major League Soccer.
MLS: Messi’s double keeps Miami on top of the league table
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