by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 25, 2025 | Africa, Europe, International, Soccer
In the glow of another remarkable season, Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp painted a vivid picture of Mohamed Salah’s rare brilliance. Klopp reminded the world that only three names have etched themselves into Ballon d’Or history with such consistency: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi—and Salah.
“Seven straight years in the top five,” Klopp said, almost in awe. “No one else has done that. Everyone sees he’s the best in the world this season.”
Klopp contrasted Salah’s enduring fire with the struggles of other stars. “Last year, Vinícius Júnior lost the award and hasn’t been the same. The year before, Haaland missed out and never truly recovered. But Mo? His passion is unstoppable. Hard luck this time, but he remains extraordinary.”
Salah’s story is one of unbroken drive—a player who keeps rewriting the script, even when the trophy slips away.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 25, 2025 | AFCON, Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
The National Sports Authority (NSA) is taking decisive action to improve the upkeep of Ghana’s key sporting facilities. Director General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah has confirmed plans to purchase pitch covers for major national stadia to address long-standing maintenance issues.
The initiative follows recent concerns over the poor condition of several venues, which were declared unfit to host matches due to inadequate protection and field deterioration. Speaking on Asempa FM, Ampofo Ankrah admitted that the absence of pitch covers had been a past oversight but assured the public that corrective measures are now in motion.
“We are in the process of acquiring pitch covers for our stadia,” he explained. “Maybe in the past it was an oversight, but we are making arrangements to get some now.”
The project will target key venues such as the Accra Sports Stadium, Baba Yara Stadium, Cape Coast Stadium, Essipong Sports Stadium, and the Aliu Mahama Stadium. By shielding the playing surfaces from harsh weather and heavy use, the NSA aims to preserve pitch quality, ensuring these facilities remain fit for local and international competitions.
This investment is expected to significantly raise the standards of Ghana’s sports infrastructure, offering athletes and fans a better match-day experience while protecting the country’s premier sporting assets for years to come.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 25, 2025 | AFCON, Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Nigeria, Soccer, USA, World Cup
A new CIES Football Observatory report has revealed that Nigeria and Ghana are the dominant forces in African football exports between 2020 and 2025, supplying hundreds of professional players to leagues across the world.
The study—covering players registered in club squads across 135 leagues as of May 1 each year—defines expatriate footballers as those who grew up in one national association but left to pursue careers directly linked to football.
Globally, Brazil tops the list with an astonishing 3,020 exported players, followed by France (2,293) and Argentina (2,171). England (1,510) and Spain (1,106) round out the top five.
Nigeria sits eighth worldwide and first in Africa, having sent 926 players abroad in the last six years. Ghana ranks 13th globally and second in Africa, producing 522 expatriate players, and is notably the leading African exporter to the Americas with 59 players.
Senegal follows with 511 players, placing 18th globally, while Ivory Coast ranks fourth in Africa with 484. Cameroon is next with 327, and Mali completes the top six with 202 exported professionals.
Regional Highlights (2020–2025):
To Europe: Nigeria (774), Ghana (522), Senegal (413), Ivory Coast (382), Cameroon (242), Mali (155), The Gambia (129).
To the Americas: Ghana (59), Nigeria (44), Cameroon (29), Senegal (19), Ivory Coast (17), South Africa (13).
To Asia: Nigeria (123), Ghana (120), Senegal (66), Cameroon (55), Ivory Coast (52), Morocco (52), Egypt (32), Tunisia (32), Algeria (30), Mali (29).
These figures underline West Africa’s growing influence on global football, with Nigerian and Ghanaian talents continuing to make their mark from Europe to the Americas and Asia.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 25, 2025 | Africa, International, Nigeria, Soccer, World Cup
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has handed a provisional squad list to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ahead of next month’s decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clashes with Lesotho and the Benin Republic.
According to sources close to the NFF, the list—which features a mix of foreign-based stars and home-grown talents—is under review, with the final selection expected to be announced next week. Both fixtures are considered must-win encounters as Nigeria sits third in their qualifying group, trailing South Africa and Benin.
Nigeria’s qualification hopes, however, may have received an unexpected boost. Reports suggest FIFA is investigating South Africa for allegedly fielding an ineligible player during their 2-0 victory over Lesotho, a breach that could lead to a three-point deduction.
Despite the Super Eagles’ current position, Chelle remains upbeat about the team’s chances. “We are not losing hope because we can still be at the World Cup next year,” he told OwnGoalNigeria.com. “Two games is a lot in football, with six points still to play for in October. We haven’t lost in our last four qualifiers, and we plan to keep it that way. We’ll do our part and wait to see what happens in the other matches.”
Nigeria will first host Lesotho before travelling to face Benin in what promises to be a tense finale to the qualification campaign.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 25, 2025 | Africa, International, Nigeria, Soccer, World Cup
Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and fans to avoid singling out William Troost-Ekong and Cyriel Dessers for blame following the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw with South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Troost-Ekong was unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net, giving the Bafana Bafana the lead, while Dessers—who started the game but was substituted at half-time—faced heavy criticism for an underwhelming display.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Oliseh stressed that football is a collective effort and insisted both players remain key contributors to Nigeria’s recent successes.
“Football is a team sport. Your captain didn’t deliberately score an own goal—he was trying to defend,” Oliseh explained. “Dessers was instrumental just a few days earlier when we won, yet now he’s being attacked. That’s not how you build a strong team.”
Oliseh’s remarks serve as a reminder that unity and support are crucial as the Super Eagles continue their push for a place at the 2026 World Cup.
