Sports
See How Salah Was Surprised On His Birthday After Losing World Cup Match
On Friday June 15, football sensation Mohammed Salah turned 26 years old and celebrated his special day with his Egyptian teammates after losing their first match 1-0 to Uruguay at the ongoing world cup in Russia. The Liverpool attacker was surprised and presented a specially made cake which was customized with a ‘golden boot’ to recognize his incredible form which saw him score 44 goals in 52 appearances.
The winger was born in Basyoun Egypt on the 15th of June 1992 and began his professional career in his homeland with El Mokawloon. The Egyptian league season was suspended in March 2012 following a stadium disaster meaning Salah had to go find a new club if he wanted to play regularly.
He signed for Swiss side Basel after impressing against them in a friendly for Egypt Under 23’s.
Salah impressed at Basel and helped them win the Swiss league title and also reach the semi-finals of the Europa league in 2012/13. He signed for Chelsea in January 2014. He failed to make a lasting impression on the Chelsea supporters and was send out on loan to Italian side Fiorentina for the second half of the 2014/15 season.
Salah stayed in Italy for the 2015/16 season but playing for Roma this time, he joined them permanently in the summer of 2016.
Mo was able to reignite his playing career at Roma and scored 29 goals in 65 league appearances. He attracted the attention of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and the club paid a new club record fee to bring the Egyptian to Anfield and he certainly didn’t disappoint.
Sports
19 years later, NFF still owes me salary as Eagles coach, says Christian Chukwu
Christian Chukwu, former Super Eagles captain, says the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) still owes him salary from his time as the country’s male senior national team head coach.
Chukwu, nicknamed “The Chairman”, was head coach of the Eagles between 2002 and 2005.
He led the team to a bronze medal at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Tunisia.
The manager was relieved of the job in June 2005 during the qualification campaign for the World Cup in Germany.
In a chat with The Athletic Nigeria on Monday, Chukwu said 19 years after his stint with the Eagles, NFF is yet to pay him some of his salary from the period.
The Chairman added that he is not the only indigenous coach owed by the federation, adding that some of the victims are dead now.
“They owe Nigerian coaches. They don’t owe foreign coaches. It is a problem. You take on an indigenous coach who takes a cheap salary, and you owe him,” Chukwu said.
“Is it proper? Are you encouraging him to do his job? I am still being owed up to today. They are still owing me till tomorrow. My files are there with the NFF. There is nothing I can do [to get them to pay me]. The file is there. Go to their office, and you will see how much they owe me. Not only me, other indeginuos coaches are being owed too. Some are late.”
In 2019, Chukwu suffered prostate cancer, which affected his leg. The family had to open a GoFundMe appeal to solicit funds for the Nigeria football legend’s medical treatment.
Femi Otedola, the billionaire businessman, eventually paid $50,000 for Chukwu’s treatment overseas.
Chukwu captained Nigeria to its first AFCON success in 1980. He also led the Enugu Rangers FC team that won the Africa Cup Winners Cup in 1977.
Sports
Nnadozie wins best goalkeeper of the season award in France
Chiamaka Nnadozie, Super Falcons of Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper, has been voted the season’s best goalkeeper in the French Division 1 Feminine League.
The 23-year-old was announced the award winner on Monday night. She received the individual accolade following a stellar season in which she garnered a reputation as a penalty expert, saving seven spot-kicks in the league and Champions League, the highest in Europe this season.
Notre gardienne @Nadoziechiamaka est élue 𝐌𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 🥇✨
— Paris FC Féminines (@PFC_feminines) April 29, 2024
🔵⚪️ #CertifiéParis #TrophéesD1Arkema pic.twitter.com/mMOzaG7jxk
Her penalty-saving heroics saw her lead Paris FC to shoot-out wins over giants Arsenal and Wolfsburg in the Women’s Champions League. She also guided the Paris-based club to the semi-final stage of the competition where they were knocked out by rivals Lyon.
Speaking at the event, the 2023 CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year winner said she is “very happy” to have won the award.
On his part, Pierre Ferracci, president of the club, praised the Nigerian goalkeeper.
“It’s very pleasing, because she deserves it and she achieved an exceptional Champions League and not only on penalties. She is adorable. It is deserved. We know that she will be courted this summer but we will try to keep her,” Ferracci added.
Paris FC are third in the League with 42 points, eight points behind Paris, their local rivals, and a further 11 points away from Lyon, the league leaders.
Sports
Iheanacho, Ndidi promoted back to EPL with Leicester City
Leicester City gained promotion back to the English Premier League (EPL) on Friday night.
The 2016 EPL champions were relegated last season. The Foxes’ promotion was confirmed following Queens Park Rangers’ 4-0 win over promotion-chasing, second-placed Leeds United.
Leeds United’s defeat means Leicester have an unassailable points haul that ensured they have picked up one of the two automatic promotion tickets.
Straight back up, Leicester City! 🦊 pic.twitter.com/j89S1qiuqB
— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 26, 2024
The Midlands club earlier put their foot at the door with a 5-0 win over Southampton on Tuesday night in a match where Wilfred Ndidi, the Super Eagles of Nigeria midfielder, scored a goal.
Ndidi, who will return to the EPL with Kelechi Iheanacho, his international teammate, also congratulated the club via a post on X.
“Congratulations to me, the boys, the staff the club and the amazing fans.. 2 more to go!!! We back!! 😁,” the 27-year-old midfielder wrote.
Congratulations to me, the boys, the staff the club and the amazing fans.. 2 more to go!!!
— Ndidi Wilfred (@Ndidi25) April 26, 2024
We back!! 😁
Enzo Maresca’s team tops the championship table with 94 points and is well-placed to win an eighth championship title.
The King Power side have a four-point lead with two matches left in the 44-game season.
Leicester can now claim the championship title on Monday with a victory at Preston if third-placed Ipswich fail to beat Hull City on Saturday.
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