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Tag: Ahmed Musa

  • AFCON final flop: Musa comes to Iwobi’s rescue

    AFCON final flop: Musa comes to Iwobi’s rescue

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has come to the rescue of Alex Iwobi following barrages of criticisms the Fulham’s midfielder is receiving after Nigeria lost the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy to Ivory Coast.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) had in an editorial highlighted key players and the tactical error that made it possible for the Ivorians to defeat the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the 2023 AFCON final match.

    However, many Nigerians singled Iwobi out for criticism, putting all the blame solely on the midfielder for the failure of the Super Eagles to soar in Côte d’Ivoire.

    Coming to Iwobi’s rescue, Musa argued that a football match is won as a team and lost as a team, adding that the Fulham player gave his all on the field, just like every member of the Super Eagles squad.

    The Super Eagles captain in a post via his official X account urged Nigerians to desist from taunting Iwobi, stressing that losing the game was already tough on him.

    Musa’s post on X reads: “Dear fans,  I want to please urge you to halt the cyber-bullying directed towards Alex Iwobi. Cyber bullying is not just a violation of decency but also a serious crime.

    “It’s hypocritical to claim that football unites us while engaging in such behavior. Losing a game is undoubtedly tough, but targeting a single player for the team’s shortcomings is unfair and unjust.

    “We win as a team, and we lose as a team. Alex gave his all on the field, just like every member of our squad.

    “Instead of spreading negativity, let’s show genuine love and support to our players. They need our encouragement now more than ever. Let’s uplift each other and stand united, both in victory and defeat”.

  • Why I want Ahmed Musa to win AFCON title – Coach Peseiro

    Why I want Ahmed Musa to win AFCON title – Coach Peseiro

    Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Jose Peseiro has said he hopes to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) so that Ahmed Musa can lift the trophy.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Peseiro said this on Saturday at the final press conference of the 2023 AFCON.

    “Ahmed for us is much more than a player. He has helped us so much. He has advised me, suggested, and informed me a lot about AFCON.

    “I ask him a lot about many things, he knows better than me on some things, he is the captain, and he knows a lot about the players.

    “I want to win that cup tomorrow so Ahmed Musa can lift it. He is a very very special player,” Peseiro said.

    On not playing regularly for the national team, Musa said: “I am a patient man, I have been playing a lot for my teammates, and if my teammates are now playing for me to win, there’s no problem with that”.

    Super Eagles have capacity to win 4th AFCON title – Jalla

    Meanwhile, Harrison Jalla, the Chairman of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), on Saturday said that the current Super Eagles players have the team leadership to win their fourth AFCON title.

    Jalla, who spoke in Lagos, also said that the grit, resilience, determination, courage and spirit to achieve was back in the team.

    “Team leadership is the most essential ingredient in building a winning team and it started in the Nigerian National team from the days of Christian Chukwu as Captain to Segun Odegbami, Stephen Keshi, Uche Okechukwu, Sunday Oliseh and Mikel Obi,” Jalla said.

    According to Jalla, if the team leadership synergy is right, there will be  a team on and off the field; but that not all team captains are leaders in true sense of the word.

    “A team leader is the master motivator, and when performance level drops his energy, motivation and drive can always be the turning point.

    “Chairman Christian Chukwu, Stephen Keshi of blessed memory and Sunday Oliseh were exceptional and played perfect roles as team leaders in the past.

    “The present set of Super Eagles have found the perfect leadership in William Troost-Ekong and Victor Osimhen; this right leadership chord makes the job of the technical crew easier.

    “It also gives the team an edge over any other opponent, I say Kudos to the entire Super Eagles team the Technical crew,” Jalla said.

    He also said that special thanks must also go to the President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan-Enoh, for the timely provision of funds to clear the backlog of outstanding and current match bonus and allowances.

    “This moment in Nigeria football must be sustained; the very reason why the entire Nigeria football administrative structure must go through urgent reforms.

    “There should be an amendment of the current NFF statute for proportional and equal representation while a constituency should be created for private sector participation.

    “Nigeria’s 4th AFCON title is already in the Bag. Congratulations Nigeria, Congratulations Super Eagles.

    “May the Souls of the departed patriots who died following the match between Nigeria and South Africa find eternal peace and rest;” he added.

    AFCON: Play with confidence, defeat host country, Fuludu charges Eagles

    Similarly, Edema Fuludu, ex-Nigerian International has charged the Super Eagles to play with confidence in the  AFCON 2023 final match against the host country, to win the trophy.

    Fuludu, who said this in an interview  on Saturday, in Lagos, stressed that confident play and tactical skills would earn the Eagles victory in the encounter.

    Fuludu said that though the Super Eagles had beaten the Elephants of Ivory Coast in the group stage, the team needed more strength, hard work and dedication to defeat the host country again.

    ”The match is going to be tough, no doubt about that, but the Super Eagles need to put in more confidence and play hard to beat them again on their own soil.

    ”Strength and tactical skills are needed, together with team spirit, to enable them to defeat the host country,” he said.

    The ex-international advised the team to hearken to Coach Jose Peseiro’s instructions and focus on getting victory on the field of play.

    ”I am hoping for the best; I am sure with hard work and confident play, victory is sure for the eagles,” he said.

    Fuludu had played club football for New Nigerian Bank, BCC Lions and Julius Berger in Nigeria, Altay in Turkey and for the Nigerian national team.

    He was part of Nigeria’s squad in the 1994 African Cup of Nations and had served as head coach of Warri Wolves.

  • AFCON 2023: We want double double – Musa, Omeruo declare

    AFCON 2023: We want double double – Musa, Omeruo declare

    Captain Ahmed Musa and defender Kenneth Omeruo were in the Super Eagles’ squad that last won the Africa Cup of Nations title, back in 2013 in South Africa. They are also in the present squad that is at the cusp of glory in Cote d’Ivoire, with the Final match against the host nation taking place on Sunday night at the 60,000 -capacity Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ebimpé.

     

    Forty-eight hours before the match, Musa, who scored against Mali in a 4-1 win for Nigeria in the semi-finals in South Africa 11 years ago, and is Nigeria’s record goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup with four goals, was very relaxed in a brief chat with thenff.com at the team’s Pullman Hotel in the Plateau district of Cote d’Ivoire’s industrial and economic capital.

     

    “It is a feeling you can’t always properly describe. Winning the AFCON and touching the trophy is an unforgettable experience. Omeruo and myself experienced that when we won in South Africa. But I want another one and he also wants another one. The good feeling and experience must be double double.”

     

    Omeruo, also very relaxed and in company with filial relations, corroborated the team leader: “We want that special feeling again – the feeling of being a champion of Africa. We have not gone this far to throw it away now. We have thrown everything into the six matches we have played here. We will give more than 100 percent against the Ivorians on Sunday.”

     

    When Cote d’Ivoire hosted the competition 40 years ago, the Super Eagles also played in the Final match, but against Cameroon. The hosts failed to qualify from the group stage. That was an era when the final competition welcomed only eight teams.

     

    Today, the tournament welcomes 24 teams (nearly half the member federations of CAF), making it a far bigger competition with so much glamour, glitz, grit and plenty of drama.

     

    After a 0-4 trashing by Equatorial Guinea in their final group phase game, many thought the Elephants had been eliminated. But Hakim Ziyech’s goal days later eliminated Zambia and sneaked the Elephants into the knock-out rounds, where they have prospered.

     

    Nigeria’s on-field captain William Ekong says he expects Sunday’s Final between the Eagles and the Elephants to be a classic.

     

    “It will not be a tea party, and we won’t be going out there with a tea cup. We will work hard and fight hard for the trophy.”  

     

    JOSÉ PESEIRO ON AHMED MUSA

     

    “Ahmed Musa is special and important to the team. He is my assistant, he advises me, he gives me the necessary support. He is committed in his role and can play. We shall wait and see tomorrow, but we want to win the AFCON for Musa to lift the trophy.”

     

    EMERSE FAE ON THE BIG MATCH

     

    “The fact that Nigeria had beaten us is a good thing because we know whom we are up against. The manner in which we prepare for the match with our players is critical. I think that the Super Eagles and ourselves are at the same level.

     

    “We have a great opportunity tomorrow; we are 90 minutes away from adding a third star to the Ivorian jersey. The teams are on equal footing, psychologically. As the competition has progressed, the Nigerian team has gained strength. We had a very difficult journey at the beginning, but we gained momentum from the round of 16 against Senegal.”

     

    “Like any high-level match, like any final, it will come down to the details. We will be patient. We will not rush. We will focus on starting the match well and be patient in order to unsettle them.”

     

  • AFCON 2023: Come watch us live – Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa tells President Tinubu

    AFCON 2023: Come watch us live – Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa tells President Tinubu

    Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has called on Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to watch the team on television anymore but to come over to Ivory Coast and cheer them at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON.

    Musa, who spoke on behalf of the Super Eagles players, said this during the team’s Zoom meeting with the Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan Enoh, on Wednesday.

    Musa also thanked Enoh for his words of encouragement to the Super Eagles as they prepare to tackle Cameroon in the AFCON Round of 16 fixture on Saturday night.

    Musa said: “We have a message that we are going to send to you [Enoh] to the President.

    “We don’t want him to watch the game on TV anymore, we want him over here [Ivory Coast] to come and cheer us together. So this is our own message to the President.”

    Enoh responded, “The president will come. I can assure you the president will come. He has told me when he wants to come and my prayer is that gradually we are going to get to the point where the President can come. He will come. I will bring the president, he will come,” he assured.

    Musa then said: “Finally, we really appreciate your words of encouragement to the team, thank you.”

    Super Eagles finished second in group A behind Equatorial Guinea and will slug it out with the Cameroonians on Saturday, at Felix Houghpouet Stadium, Abidjan.
  • AFCON 2023: Retirement not on my mind – Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa

    AFCON 2023: Retirement not on my mind – Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has said that he will not disclose when he will retire from the national team.

    Musa made this known while speaking at the AFCON pre-match press conference between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Nzalang of Equatorial Guinea.

    Asked if AFCON 2023 will be his last tournament, Musa said that only time will tell if he would retire  soon or not.

    The 31-year-old forward assured that he alongside his teammate would give their best to ensure that Super Eagles defeat their opponent in tomorrow’s game.

    Super Eagles will begin their campaign in the 2023 AFCON against the Zlalang of Equatorial guinea on Sunday January 14th  by 3pm Nigerian time.

     

  • Ahmed Musa set for NPFL return

    Ahmed Musa set for NPFL return

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has once again expressed his desire to play for a Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL years after featuring in the league.

    Recall that Musa broke many records playing for Kano Pillars many years back.

    The 31-year-old was top scorer in the NPFL in the 2009/10 season.

    The winger linked up with Eredivisie outfit, VVV Venlo the following season.

    Musa returned to Pillars for a brief stint in 2021.

    The former Leicester City player hinted that he is keen to play in the NPFL once again.

    “I will always talk about the Nigerian league because I was once their product. And that placed me where I am today and till tomorrow, anytime I am going to stop football, I am going to come to Nigeria again, and play in the Nigerian League,” Musa stated on X (former Twitter space).

    “But this time, I am going to stay for a long time and play. To show you the love I have for the Nigerian League.”

  • How Pinnick helped me in 2018 – Ahmed Musa

    How Pinnick helped me in 2018 – Ahmed Musa

    Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has has revealed the help former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick rendered to  him prior to the 2018 World Cup.

    Musa relished his poor form at Leicester and how he was always dropped to the bench, but Pinnick prevailed on the Super Eagles coach to take him to the World Cup.

    He said, Pinnick had to call Gernot Rohr, who was the Super Eagles coach at the time to ensure the German tactician included his name in the World Cup squad even though the forward was not playing at Leicester City.

    The 31-year-old spoke in Lagos on Friday during a ceremony to unveil the team’s ‘Let’s Do It Again’ mantra in their bid to win a fourth AFCON title in Ivory Coast next year.

    Musa said, “For the former President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, I can remember when I was at Leicester City and I was not playing. He called the Eagles coach (Gernot Rohr) and said, ‘no matter what, Ahmed Musa must be invited to the team.’ And I went to the (2018) World Cup and was one of the best players at the tournament. Why? Because he (Pinnick) believed in me.

    “When I was playing for JUTH FC, he was the first person that wanted to sign me for Warri Wolves back then because he knew what he saw in me when I was playing in Nigeria. I will say thank you very much sir.”

    He added, “Also, Aisha Falode always supported us, she’s not just about women’s football. She always encourages me and gives the team the moral support that we need.”

  • Adopt 2013 formula to win AFCON – Musa tells Super Eagles handlers

    Adopt 2013 formula to win AFCON – Musa tells Super Eagles handlers

    Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has canvassed for the present handlers of the Super Eagles to adopt the 2013 formula that ensured Nigeria won the AFCON  trophy for the 3rd time in the country’s history.

    Musa made this comment while giving his vote of thanks during the ‘Lets do it again’ party launch organized by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in Lagos on Friday night.

    According to Musa, the national team selectors need to believe in the home-based players, saying that about seven of them were among the 26 players in South Africa 2013.

    “We need to make sure that we give our local players a chance to be able to go to the national team and showcase their talent and be part of that,” he said in Lagos.

    “The coaches need to believe in them to showcase their best for the team.

    “It’s fundamental to go back to our local league to get the best from the team.”

    Two local league players,  Sunday Mbah and Godfrey Oboabona were instrumental to the super Eagles squad that excelled in 2013.

    Sundy Mbah scored Nigeria’s winning goal  in the AFCON final against Burkina Faso.

     

  • C.Ronaldo’s club, Al Nassr banned by FIFA over Ahmed Musa’s unpaid fees

    C.Ronaldo’s club, Al Nassr banned by FIFA over Ahmed Musa’s unpaid fees

    Christiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club, Al Nassr, have been banned by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) from registering new players until they settle a debt with Leicester City.

    Al Nassr were ordered to pay Leicester €460,000 ($513,000) plus annual interest of 5% in an October 2021 ruling by a FIFA-appointed judge at its players’ status committee.

    Recall that Leicester city  filed the complaint in April 2021 because of unpaid additional clauses due from the €18m ($20m) sale of Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa in 2018.

    Al Nassr — which was taken under majority ownership last month by the $700 billion sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund — can still sign new players though not register them to play.

    “The club Al Nassr is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts,” FIFA said Thursday. “The relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon the settlement of the debts being confirmed by the creditors concerned.”

    Al Nassr’s signing of Ronaldo as a free agent in January sparked an unprecedented spree of spending by clubs in the Saudi Pro League, with four now majority-owned by PIF. The fund is chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

    Al Nassr signed Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic this month from Inter Milan in a transfer reportedly valued at €18m ($20m).

    Al Nassr are in Portugal on a preseason training camp. On Aug. 22, they have a qualifying playoff in the Asian Champions League. Al Nassr will host Shabab Al Ahli of United Arab Emirates or Jordan’s Al Wehdat.

    Ahmed Musa left Riyadh-based Al Nassr in 2020 and currently p,ies his trade at Turkish side Sivasspor Football Club.

     

  • Ahmed Musa pumps Eaglets’ spirit with pledge of N.5m per goal in Algeria 2023

    Ahmed Musa pumps Eaglets’ spirit with pledge of N.5m per goal in Algeria 2023

    Super Eagles’ captain, Ahmed Musa was the surprise visitor to the camp of Nigeria’s U17 team, Golden Eaglets at ParkView Hotel in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Nigeria’s most capped international admonished the players to endeavour to maintain the rich culture of Nigeria football and also make a name for themselves and their families, adding that he regrets not ever playing for the U17 team in his football trajectory.

    “You have to work hard. Listen and obey your coaches if you want to succeed at this stage of your football. Sometimes, I regret that I never played for the Golden Eaglets. You have to make use of this opportunity. You are not the best in Nigeria. Many players out there are better than you. The only difference is that you have the opportunity.

    “So, you have to work hard. Pray a lot and be determined to make a name for Nigeria and also for yourselves and your families. Do not miss this great opportunity. I was only given five minutes in my debut game for the Super Eagles, but today I am the captain of the team. I never thought I would someday be the captain of the Super Eagles.

    “I promise and I assure you that you will be rewarded with N500,000.00 for every goal scored at the U17 AFCON in Algeria next month. Remember to always play as a team. If you are a defender, play with your mates, same for you that is a midfielder. Do not be selfish as a striker.”

    Musa, who won his 109th cap for the Super Eagles in the 2023 AFCON 1-0 away win over Guinea Bissau in Bissau on Monday, added: “Promise me that you will make Nigerians proud. Football is the only thing that unites our country. Whether you are a Muslim or a Christian does not matter in football. Winning is what Nigerians are looking forward to.

    “So, go to Algeria, conquer and give Nigerians joy,” he said.