Onuachu bags 2021 best footballer award in Belgium

Super Eagles forward, Paul Onuachu has been voted winner of the 2021 Belgian Golden Shoe award.

The 27-year-old becomes the first-ever Nigerian and the fourth African to claim the prestigious honour in Belgium.

Aruna Dindane of Cote dโ€™Ivoire, won it in 2003, Moroccoโ€™s Mbark Boussoufa, who won in 2006 and 2010 and DR Congoโ€™s Dieumerci Mbokani, who won in 2012, are the only other Africans to have won the award.

The Belgian Golden Shoe award is given at the beginning of each year to the best footballer in the countryโ€™s First Division for the past year.

Onuachu polled 333 votes to beat the Club Brugge duo of Noa Lang (272 votes) and Charles De Ketelaere (271 votes) to second and third, respectively.

He finished in third position in the 2020 award edition, coming behind winner Lior Refaelov of Israel and second-placed Raphael Holzhauser.

But emerged winner this time around after scoring 29 league goals over the entire 2020-21 season and adding another 12 in the first half of the current campaign.

With the win, Onuachu becomes only the third Genk player in history to be named Belgiumโ€™s best and the first in 20 years.

The forward could not join his national teammates at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after sustaining a hamstring injury weeka before the Cameroon tournament.

Nigeria begin AFCON campaign today with Egypt duel

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will on Tuesday (today) be kicking off their campaign at the rescheduled 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) holding in Cameroon.

The team, led by technical director Austin Eguavoen, will be taking on the Pharaohs of Egypt in a Group D clash that promises to be thrilling.

Nigeria have met Egypt a total of eight time at the AFCON and have clinched victory three times and a draw on three other ocassions.

The Eagles will be looking to keep at bay, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who ahead of the game said, Egypt are โ€œnot the favourites to win the Africa Cup of Nations, but we will do our best to reclaim the title.โ€

The game is billed to kick off by 5p.m at the Stade Roumdรฉ Adjia in the northern Cameroonian town of Garoua.

In other news, Ahmed Musa, the national teamโ€™s most-capped player, has said he has charged his teammates to win the the trophy as a โ€œparting giftโ€ for him.

โ€œI think this is my last AFCON InShaa Allah.

โ€œI have spoken to the boys that this is the only gift you can give to me because this is my last AFCON. And the boys told me that they are ready.

โ€œMy first AFCON was in South Africa in 2013 and we ended up winning it. And my second appearance was in Egypt and we won the bronze.โ€

The Super Eagles will also be playing against Sudan and Guinea-Bissau in their other Group D clashes tor a chance to reach the last-16.

Fans celebrate as Djokovic wins court battle to stay in Australia

Novak Djokovic has won a court battle challenging the cancellation of his Australian visa, in a case that has drawn global attention.

The Tennis star had since been held by the Australian government after he was dramatically denied entry at Melbourne airport on Wednesday and sent to a notorious immigration detention hotel.

There was jubilation among the Serbian-Australian community and some 100 supporters of Djokovic camped outside the court when the ruling was announced.

It is yet uncertain that Djokovic will play in the Australian Open billed to start on 17 January, the reason for which he came to Australia in the first place.

The governmentโ€™s lawyers have warned that Australiaโ€™s immigration minister has the executive power to overturn the courtโ€™s decision.

If that happens, the judge warned that Djokovic, currently the worldโ€™s number one menโ€™s tennis player, wonโ€™t be able to return to Australia for three years.

If Djokovic finally participates in the competition and wins it, he will become the most successful menโ€™s player in history with 21 Grand Slam titles.

Cristiano Ronaldo expecting twins with partner

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has announced on Thursday that his partner, Georgina Rodriguez was pregnant and expecting twins.

The Portuguese forward posted an image of himself and Rodriguez in bed on Instagram and captioned it: โ€œDelighted to announce we are expecting twins.

โ€œOur hearts are full of love โ€“ we canโ€™t wait to meet you.โ€

The birth of the twins will see Ronaldo become the father of six children.

Rodriguez already shares daughter Alana, who is three, with the 36-year-old, while Ronaldo has a son named Cristiano Jnr, 11, and twins Eva and Mateo, both four.

Minutes after the social media announcement, Ronaldoโ€™s mother, Dolores Aveiro, wrote on Instagram: โ€œLet my grandchildren be born healthy. Thatโ€™s what matters the most.โ€

Rodriguez hails from the tiny Spanish village of Jaca, with her Argentine ex-footballer father, Jorge, and Spanish mother, Ana.

She spent time in England before meeting Ronaldo and learned English, spending time in places such as Bristol and Bath before returning to Spain and working in high-end retail.

Hide your wives and girlfriends โ€“ Boma warns men

Former Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye housemate, Boma Akpore, has urged men to hide the women in their lives from him.

The actor cum reality star issued the warning in a recent post on his official Instagram page.

Bomaโ€™s time in the house was highly controversial due to his romantic relationship with Tega, a married woman.

In his post, the self-acclaimed President of Okra gang shared a video of himself stepping out with confidence and wrote;

โ€The PRESIDENT is out hide whatever needs to be hidden Ooo, to avoid stories that touch theย โค๏ธ???.

I AM WHATEVER YOU SAY I AM, IF I WASNโ€™T THEN WHY WOULD I SAY I AM.โ€

Messi subbed off on home debut, Neymar scores as PSG win

Lionel Messi was substituted on his home debut for Paris Saint-Germain after he struggled to make an impact against Lyon in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

The Argentine, who left Barcelona this summer for the French giants, was playing for the third time since his arrival.

He has failed to score a goal in the three appearances and on Sunday, he was replaced in the second half as PSG went on to beat Lyon to make it six wins from six in the league.

Messi did hit the angle of post and bar with a free-kick in the first half and forced a save from goalkeeper Anthony Lopes but was certainly below his best.

Lucas Paqueta had swept in Karl Toko Ekambiโ€™s cross to give Lyon the lead in the 54th minute, before Neymar equalised with a controversial penalty on 66 minutes.

With the score at 1-1, Messi, 34, was replaced by right-back Achraf Hakimi and did not look happy at coming off.

The game was heading to a close when Mauro Icardi snatched all three points for the hosts with a injury-time winner, as he headed in Kylian Mbappeโ€™s cross.

PSGโ€™s next game is Wednesdayโ€™s Ligue 1 trip to Metz, as they bid to make it seven wins from seven at the top of the league.

I donโ€™t want to be a politician โ€“Ighalo

In an Instagram Live session monitored by PUNCH Sports Extra.
Heartland goalie, Ezenwa who hosted the session, had stated that as players who represented the nation and qualified them for the World Cup had the right to vie for posts in the Nigeria Football Federation set-up or any other political office.


Ezenwa went on to suggest that Ighalo could take up a political office someday but the former Eagles forward said he had no such plans, saying he detested politics.


โ€œI donโ€™t want to be president of anything. I donโ€™t even like politics. I just want to play football, make money to feed myself, my children and my mother, thatโ€™s all.โ€

Ighalo who scored 16 goals in 35 matches for the national team also ruled out taking any football related political position.


โ€œSome of us donโ€™t want anything to do with Nigerian football after our retirement.โ€

Super Eagles to get N20 million if they secure victory against Cape Verde.

Following last weekโ€™s announcement of a partnership agreement with the Nigerian Football Federation, Air Peace chairman, Allen Onyema has promised to give the Super Eagles N20 million if they beat Cape Verde in their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash.

Onyema made the promise in a video shared on the social media page of the Super Eagles, while also calling on all Nigerians to continue to support the countryโ€™s football team in their quest to gain a ticket ahead of the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup.

Onyema said, โ€œIf you win this match, I am going to give the team N20 million on arrival. Iโ€™ll bring the cash and hand it over.

โ€œThis will serve as a stepping stone in unifying our Nation. Go there and die for the country.

โ€œYou won your first match resoundingly, and we expect that the one happening in Cape Verde in 24hours time will not be different.

โ€œGentlemen, why I came to the airport at this time of the day 2 am to address is because of this. You are not just going to play football. Youโ€™re going to carry on your young shoulders the aspirations and the hopes of a Nation. You must help us in restoring hope to this country.

โ€œNigeria is a great country with so much potentials to achieve. We are yet to get there. We may have our differences but we love ourselves.

โ€œWe knew some of our players have to leave after the match and they had to do well before leaving because they cannot go to Cape Verde.โ€

The Super Eagles will continue their journey towards qualification for the World Cup against Cape Verde this evening after their resounding victory in their previous match against Liberia.

The team however would be without their key players like Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and William Troost-Ekong due to Covid restriction in the United Kingdom.

Former France footballer Jean-Pierre Adams dies at 73 after living for 39 years in a coma.

Former France international defender, Jean-Pierre Adams has died at the age of 73.
Adams spent the last 39 years in a coma following an anaesthesia error at Lyon Hospital as part of a routine knee operation he undertook at the age of 34 on March 17, 1982.

He was confirmed to have died on Monday morning at Nimes University Hospital.
Back in 1982, after suffering a ligament rupture injury, the former Nice and Paris Saint-Germain centre-back had routine knee surgery but an error from the anaesthetist starved his brain of oxygen and he slipped into a coma.
Adams, who had two sons to his wife, Laurent and Frรฉdรฉric, had had a problem with the anesthesia and the doctor operating on his knee is reported to have been working on eight patients concurrently.

Adam’s life was turned upside down following the botched operation. He spent over half his life in a coma and throughout that time, he was supported by his incredibly loyal wife Bernadette.
Speaking last year, she told CNN: “No one ever forgets to give Jean-Pierre presents, whether it’s his birthday, Christmas or Father’s Day.”
The former France international spent the majority of his day in a modified bed. Despite his health, Bernadette continued to gift her husband with presents, including clothes and aftershave.

“We buy presents like a T-shirt or a jumper because I dress him in his bed – he changes clothes every day,” she added.
“I’ll buy things so that he can have a nice room, such as pretty sheets, or some scent. He used to wear Paco Rabanne but his favorite one stopped so now I buy Sauvage by Dior.”
‘It’s all fine, I’m in great shape,’ he reportedly said to his wide Bernadette on the morning of the operation in what proved to be his final words.
In a statement, PSG said Adams’ “joie de vivre, charisma and experience commanded respect”.

Nice said the club would pay tribute to Adams – who won 22 caps for France between 1972-1976 – before their next home game against Monaco on 19 September.
Adams also made 84 appearances for Nimes, who said they were sending their “most sincere condolences to his loved ones and his family”.

Cristiano Ronaldo agrees to join Manchester City

Cristiano Ronaldo has reached an agreement with Manchester City over a sensational transfer from Juventus to the Premier League champions,
The Spanish sports daily AS reports that Ronaldo has struck a deal with City, who have offered him a two-year contract with a salary of โ‚ฌ15 million per season, about half of what he earns in Turin.
Sources have told ESPNโ€™s Rob Dawson that City had not dismissed the possibility of signing Ronaldo after Harry Kane committed his immediate future to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.

Sky Italiaโ€™s Gianluca Di Marzio reported on Tuesday that Ronaldoโ€™s agent, Jorge Mendes, had flown in to settle Ronaldoโ€™s future, with the Portugal captain wanting to move and Juventus willing to let him go.
However, while Ronaldo has agreed terms with City, no deal has yet been struck between the team and Juventus, who are seeking a โ‚ฌ25m transfer fee for the 36-year-old and would be interested in signing City forward Gabriel Jesus, but City do not want to pay a transfer fee or let their Brazil international leave this summer.
Last week, Ronaldo lashed out over the transfer rumours regarding his future, accusing people of being โ€œdisrespectfulโ€ yet stopping short of committing his future to Juventus.

Iroko TV CEO, Jason Njoku reveals he stayed with his mother till age of 30, urges youths to be patient

Jason Njoku, the founder of the movie streaming platform, Iroko TV has urged Nigerian youths to exercise patience in their path through life.

He revealed in a Twitter post that he had failed on 10 different business ventures before he became successful with the renowned movie platform, Iroko TV while he was already in his 30s.

Jason Njoku who is married to actress Mary Remy Njoku stated that people should not be pressured to seek fame, instead they should keep garnering momentum and remaining focused on their objective.

He also mentioned that he never experienced mainstream prominence until the 2010s after Irokotv took off, and that he was a broke man who still resided with his mother for most part of his life.

Here is what he wrote on Twitter;

โ€The pressure for <30year olds to succeed these days is so strange. So unnecessary. At 30 I was dead broke living at my Mumโ€™s house. No girlfriend & zero assets.

Just me my 2nd hand desktop & @irokotv 10 failures to my name but man did I enjoy those early years in the world. Enjoy shaโ€

Tissue used by Lionel Messi to wipe his tears is being auctioned for $1 million ?.

The tissue used by Lionel Messi to wipe his tears during his farewell press conference is reportedly being sold for $1 million.

Earlier this month, Messi parted ways with Barcelona after spending almost two decades at the Spanish club.

At a press conference to bid farewell to the Catalans, the Argentina captain was reduced to tears as he said his final goodbyes.
According to a report by TMZ Sports, the tissue used by the 34-year-old to wipe his tears has gone on sale for a staggering $1 million.

The report suggests the tissue has been posted on an auction site, with the seller claiming it contains Messi’s “genetic material”.

The seller also insists the tissue could potentially be used to someday clone the five-time Ballon dโ€™Or winner.
It is unknown whether any buyer would be willing to spend such a huge fortune on the tissue, especially with Messi moving to PSG.

Meanwhile, Messi has started training with the Ligue 1 side and has already set his sights on helping them win the UEFA Champions League.
“I believe PSG are prepared to fight once again having come very close in recent years. I have the same dream and desire to win another Champions League,” he told beIN Sports.

“Hopefully I can do whatever is necessary so that we can achieve that goal which is something that would mean a lot to the club, to me personally and to the fans.”
Messi will be playing alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in what is certainly the deadliest attacking trio in world football.

Chelsea close to sealing club-record deal for Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku is close to signing for English Premier League club, Chelsea after the back-and-forth around his departure from Inter Milan is set to end.

The Belgian striker is said to coming to the Premier League side for a club-record fee of ยฃ97.5m from the Serie A champions.

Despite saying earlier in the summer he was happy to stay with Inter, the 28-year-old reversed his stance this week and told Inter that he wanted to join Chelsea if the right offer was received.

Some details are still to be resolved, but provided there are no unexpected problems, Lukaku will return to the club where he spent three seasons from 2011.

But between the short stay at Stamford Bridge, Lukaku spent two year on loan at West Brom and Everton.

Lukaku scored 47 goals in 72 Serie A appearances over two seasons at the San Siro, helping Inter to a first league title since 2010 last term.

Husspuppi sent money for cloths, not bribe, police boss, Kyari, reacts to reports of graft

A deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Abba Kyari, has denied reports that he received money from alleged internet fraudster, Hushpuppi, who is currently facing trial in the United States, to do his bidding.

Hushpuppi, real name, Abbas Akande had told a US court that he paid Kyari some money to arrest a fellow fraudster, Vincent after aย $1.1ย million deal went wrong.

But Kyari while reacting to the allegation in a statement on his Facebook page admitted that Hushpuppi actually sent N300,000, but that the money was for some cloths he (Hushpuppi) wanted to buy from his (Kyariโ€™s) designer.

More to comeโ€ฆ.

Some PDP governors sneak into Aso Rock at night to beg to defect โ€”Presidency

The Presidency has lambasted the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for insinuating that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has turned the Presidential Villa into its headquarters.

Governors on the platform of the PDP had made the allegation during its meeting in Bauchi State on Monday, accusing the APC of โ€œparading coerced PDP members who defected into the ruling party.โ€

However, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has mocked the PDP governors over what he called โ€œbelly-achingโ€ on the misfortune that has befallen their party.

Speaking on a television programme in far away United Kingdom on Wednesday, Adesina claimed that while the PDP governors meet in the day to chastise the APC, some of their governors sneak into the Aso Rock Presidential Villa at night to beg to defect to the APC.

According to the Presidentโ€™s spokesman, some โ€œPDP governors have been talking with the APC leadership on plans to defect,โ€ and claimed that many of them will still dump their party next year when President Buhari begins to inaugurate projects.

โ€œThere will be a massive unveiling of infrastructure come 2022; starting from commissioning of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which the PDP could not achieve in 16 years, to the AKK Pipeline and so many highways. These massive projects will make a lot of PDP governors to join the APC,โ€ he said.

Describing the PDP as a โ€œbeleaguered party in total confusion,โ€ Adesina said:

Between now and 2023, there will be more confusion in the party. No one made noise when they (PDP) were holding BoT (Board of Trustees) meetings during Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yarโ€™Adua and Goouck Jonathan regimes. Why are they complaining now?โ€

Tokyo Olympics installs cardboard beds inside Olympic Village to discourage Athletes from engaging in sexual activity.

The countdown for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has already begun with the sports event kicking off this weekend.

Ahead of the event, officials have reportedly installed cardboard beds inside the Olympic village to discourage athletes from engaging in sexual activity.

According to Dezeen magazine, Olympic officials who already warned 2021 Games participants to avoid two-person push-ups because of the coronavirus, set up 18,000 of the cardboard beds in the notoriously sex-crazed athletesโ€™ village.

โ€œThose beds can stand up to 200 kilograms,โ€ Takashi Kitajima, the general manager of the Athletes Village, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. Kitajima further added that a โ€œwild celebration” such as an athlete bagging a gold could perhaps be bad news for the bed. โ€œOf course, wood and cardboard would each break if you jumped on them,โ€ he said.

โ€œBeds to be installed in Tokyo Olympic Village will be made of cardboard, this is aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes,โ€ American distance runner Paul Chelimo tweeted.

Euro 2020: FA launches independent review into ‘disgraceful’ fan/police clashes at Wembley final.

The English Football Association has commissioned an independent review into what it terms “disgraceful scenes” at Wembley Stadium during the Euro 2020 final.

The match between England – playing in front of a home crowd and in their first major final for 55 years – and Italy was marred by ticketless supporters who gained entry to the stadium, clashing with stewards, police and fellow fans in the process.

The Metropolitan Police have issued an appeal for help identifying 10 men who they believe were involved with violence and disorder at England’s national stadium.

UEFA also opened a disciplinary investigation into events surrounding the match The FA was hit with four charges by UEFA relating to the invasion of the field by a spectator, throwing of objects by supporters, disturbances during the Italian anthem and the lighting of fireworks.

The FA has now confirmed a review will take place.
On Monday July 19, an FA spokesperson said: “We are determined to fully understand what happened outside and then inside Wembley Stadium at the UEFA EURO 2020 Final on Sunday 11 July 2021.

“We informed DCMS at the weekend that an independent review led by Baroness Casey of Blackstock has been commissioned to report on the facts and circumstances involved. It will speak to all parties concerned and include external experts.

“A key emphasis of the findings will be to ensure that lessons are learned and such disgraceful scenes are never able to be repeated. We continue to work with the relevant authorities in support of their efforts to identify those responsible and hold them to account.”

Last week, Julian Knight MP, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, wrote to Mark Bullingham, the FA’s CEO, to demand an explanation for the “shocking” scenes at Wembley.

In a letter to Bullingham Knight wrote: “The scenes witnessed at Wembley Stadium during the Euro 2020 final were shocking.

“The sheer number of ticketless people breaching the temporary, and arguably insufficient, barriers and physically attacking stewards and police to force their way into the match was appalling.

“Reports across social media of unsafe numbers in the stalls and terrified children being intimidated by the intruders did not line up with the stadium’s statement that a small number of people had successfully entered the stadium without a ticket.

“In the FA’s statement on the matter, it stated that ‘security and stewarding numbers for the Euro 2020 final exceeded the requirements for the match and were greater than any other previous event’ at the venue. Clearly the numbers were still insufficient.”

Super Falcons to camp in Austria without star player and captain Asisat Oshoala.

Nigeriaโ€™s senior womenโ€™s football team, the Super Falcons, will camp in Austria without their star player and captain, Asisat Oshoala.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has released a 26-woman list for camping in Austria ahead of a tournament in Lagos, Nigeria and the Barcelona star Oshoala was exempted from the list.

Ghanaโ€™s Black Queens, Cameroonโ€™s Indomitable Lionesses, Banyana Banyana of South Africa, Morocco and Mali will compete against Nigeria in the tournament.

The camp in Austria is the third gathering that the NFF has arranged for the Super Falcons this year, following an interesting three-wins-out-three account at the Turkish Womenโ€™s Cup in Antalya in February and the Summer Series in the USA last month.

The 26-year-old Oshoala won a historic treble with Barcelonaโ€™s womenโ€™s side and also played for Nigeria in an invitational tournament in the United States in June. It is reported that she is nursing an injury.

Meanwhile former captain, Desire Oparanozie has been invited back to the team.
Oparanozie was initially leftout of the Super Falcons for the role she played in the teamโ€™s sit-in protest over unpaid allowances at the 2019 World Cup.

See the Camp Full Squad list below

Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (CD Pozoalbense, Spain); Chiamaka, Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Patience Okeke (Bayelsa Queens); Yewande; Balogun (California Storm, USA)
Defenders: Glory Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Osinachi Ohale (Madrid CFF,Spain); Esther Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Chidinma Okeke (Madrid CFF,Spain); Onyinyechi Zogg (FC Zurich, Switzerland); Nicole Payne (WestVirginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash Reserves, USA); Megan Ashleigh (Leicester City, England); Josephine Ijeh (BK Hacken, Sweden)
Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Mowaninuola Dada (Watford FC, England)
Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Francisca Ordega (Levante UD, Spain); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Joy Bokiri (Bayelsa Queens); Uchenna Kanu (Linkopings FC, Sweden); Ebere Orji (Sundsvall DFF, Sweden); Ini-Abasi Umotong (Lewes FC, England); Evelyn Ijeh (BK Hacken, Sweden); Desire Oparanozie (FC Dijon, France)

Prince William ‘Sickened’ by Racist Abuse Team England Players Received on Social Media After Euro 2020 Loss.

Prince William has addressed online racism suffered by England’s soccer stars.

Team England players Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were deluged with online attacks after they missed penalty kicks that helped secure Italy’s win in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday.

William, 39, who is President of the Football Association that governs the game in England, said in a statement issued on social media: “I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match. It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour. It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable.”

I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last nightโ€™s match.

It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour.

It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable. W

โ€” The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) July 12, 2021
He signed himself “W” to signify that it was a personal message and not something from his office at Kensington Palace.
William, 39, was at the match with son Prince George, 7, and wife Kate Middleton, 39. The family’s euphoria at an early goal that gave England the lead was tempered with sadness by the end as the team fell at the last hurdle by missing the last kick of the contest.

And William praised the victors Italy in a statement at the end of the game. “Heartbreaking. Congratulations @Azzurri on a great victory,” he wrote on Instagram. “@England, you’ve all come so far, but sadly this time it wasn’t our day. You can all hold your heads high, and be so proud of yourselves โ€” I know there’s more to come.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall also joined the conversation online on Monday, posting a quote on their official Clarence House platforms from Charles’s Windrush Day 2020 speech: “Recognizing the rich diversity of cultures which make this country so special โ€” and in many ways unique โ€” lies at the heart of what we can be as a nation.”

โ€œRecognizing the rich diversity of cultures which make this country so special โ€“ and in many ways unique โ€“ lies at the heart of what we can be as a nation.โ€

  • The Prince of Wales, Windrush Day 2020.

Well done @England on your fantastic #Euro2020 performance! You made us proud.

William has regularly warned social media companies that they should be doing more to counter online abuse in all its forms. And in April, he joined a U.K.-wide campaign to stay off the platforms for a weekend to take a stand on the issue.

The boycott, that ran until Monday, May 3, aimed to encourage social media companies to take stronger action against racist and sexist abuse online. “As President of the FA I join the entire football community in the social media boycott this weekend,” he said then.

For William and Kate, the game came at the end of a sporting weekend that had seen them at Wimbledon tennis on Saturday, for the women’s final, and โ€” for Kate โ€” at the men’s final on Sunday. On Friday afternoon, William played polo to raise money for charities that the couple support too.

Supporters Club gives posthumous award to Muda Lawal 30 years after death.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late Lawal made his debut into the national team in 1975 where he consistently played in the midfield.

This was contained in a statement by its Media Officer, Peter Ejiofor, on Saturday in Lagos.

The statement said the presentation of the award to the family of the late midfielder in Abeokuta, was part of the activities to mark the 30th remembrance of the football icon.

โ€œThe clubโ€™s National Chairman, Samuel Ikpea, presented the award to the family when members of NFSC visited to sympathise with the family of Lawal at their Abeokuta residence on Friday during the 30th remembrance of his death.

โ€œIn his tribute to the late Green Eagles football legend, Ikpea described Muda as a patriotic and great footballer in his lifetime.

โ€œMuda was a true patriot and great footballer whose service to his nation was unbeaten and legendary.

โ€œThirty years after, this great footballerโ€™s exploits and artistry on the field of play remains fresh in our memories.

โ€œThe NFSC and the teeming fans cannot forget his towering achievements in the field of play during your games.

โ€œMay your soul continue to rest in peace,โ€™โ€™ parts of the statement read.

It also said Ikpea presented the posthumous award to his wife and prayed for the family reminding them that Lawalโ€™s contributions to the game would remain indelible in the annals of Nigeriaโ€™s football.

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of NFSC, Dominic Ehimare, described the late Lawal as a football colossus who bestrode the Nigeria football landscape in his time.

โ€œMuda is a shining example of zeal and dedication in the field of play. He birthed an era that saw to the present football development in Nigeria.

โ€œAlthough football in his era was not as money spinning as it is today, but he played his heart out for the fun of it to the admiration of all football enthusiasts and supporters.

โ€œMay his gentle soul continue to rest in the bosom of his maker, Allah,โ€™โ€™ he said.

Activities that marked Lawalโ€™s 30 years after the pitch, started with a Jumat service at the mosque after which the NFSC paid a courtesy visit to the palace of the Alake of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III.

Later they visited his wife where a posthumous award was presented to his family.

Mudashiru Lawal, popularly known as Muda Lawal, was the first African player to appear in five consecutive African Cup of Nations tournaments from 1976 to 1984.

He held the record of being Nigeriaโ€™s most capped player for 25 years, with 86 appearances and 12 goals, until Nwankwo Kanu equalled it in 2010 with Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama subsequently breaking the record later on 101 appearances.

Lawal, who was described by football lovers as โ€œskillful, tireless, dedicated, and committed, was popularly called the โ€œmidfield maestroโ€ and wore Jersey number 4 shirt for the Eagles for 11 years.

Born in Abeokuta on June 8, 1954, Muda Lawal was an accomplished footballer. He guided Nigeria to its first African Nations title at the 1980 African Nations Cup in Lagos.

Mudashiru Lawal died in his home in Ibadan on July 6, 1991, aged 37.

He was immortalised with the Muda Lawal Stadium, Asero, his hometown in Abeokuta.

News Agency Of Nigeria