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Tag: World cup

  • BREAKING: World Cup legend dies after struggle with cancer

    BREAKING: World Cup legend dies after struggle with cancer

    World Cup legend, Salvatore ‘Toto’ Schillaci is dead. Schillaci was reported to have died aged 59 after struggling with colon cancer.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022 and faced a major setback in his fight against the disease this month.

    He was eventually hospitalised with an atrial arrhythmia and Inter Milan confirmed he died on Wednesday morning.

    “You made an entire nation dream during the Magic Nights of Italia 90. FC Internazionale Milano extends its condolences to the Schillaci family upon Totò’s passing,” Inter stated via X.

    Also, Juventus has confirmed the passing of the World Cup legend, stating: “Salvatore Schillaci left us today; too soon, too soon, at 59 years old”.

    The Italian icon, who lit up the nation’s home World Cup in 1990, played for Juventus and Inter in a glittering career spanning 384 matches, scoring 159 goals.

    The 25-year-old centre-forward bagged six goals in the World Cup where he emerged a national hero. He entered Italia 90 with just one cap and the squad number 19. He ended the tournament clutching the Golden Boot award as well as the Player of the Tournament trophy.

    Reacting over the death of Schillaci, Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni wrote: “A football icon leaves us, a man who entered the hearts of Italians and sports lovers around the world.

    “Salvatore Schillaci, known to all as Totò, the bomber of the magical nights of Italia ’90 with our National team. Thank you for the emotions you gave us, for making us dream, cheer, hug and wave our Tricolore. Have a good trip, champion”.

    Similarly, the Serie A immediately announced a minute of silence would be observed ahead of every match this weekend.

    Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina said: “The unstoppable celebrations, in which his face was a symbol of shared joy, will forever remain a common heritage of Italian football.

    “Totò was a great footballer, a tenacious symbol of will and redemption, he was able to thrill the Azzurri fans because his football was full of passion. And it was precisely this indomitable spirit that made him appreciated by everyone and will make him immortal”.

    TNG reports Salvatore ‘Toto’ Schillaci is survived by three children: Jessica, Mattia and Nicole.

  • 2026 WCQ: Bafana Bafana coach reacts after draw against Super Eagles

    2026 WCQ: Bafana Bafana coach reacts after draw against Super Eagles

    The Super Eagles of Nigeria were held to a 1-1 draw by Bafana Bafana of South Africa in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers matchday three at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday.

    The Super Eagles have now drawn their three consecutive games and are in fifth place while South Africa sit in the fourth spot.

    The lackluster Super Eagles had to come from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against their more adventurous opponents from South Africa.

    Bafana Bafana took the lead in the 29th minute of the first half through Themba Zwane who dazzled past the Nigerian defence to send the ball beyond the hapless Stanley Nwabali in Nigerian goal.

    On resumption of play in the second half, Dele Bashiru came to the rescue in the 46th minute with an equaliser and got Nigeria back into the game.

    Speaking after match, Super Eagles Coach, Finidi George said that his players approached the first half of the match in a sloppy manner that did not produce a goal.

    George said the draw is not good enough for the team as they have three points from  three matches.

    He, however, assured fans that the team will strategise to ensure victory in the next group match.

    “I think we got into  the game a little bit sloppy, but we picked up in the second half.

    “Overall, it was not a bad second half, but I felt we should have entered the game in the early minutes of play. It is not the result we expected.

    “A draw is not too good, but we will strategise to win the next game. We will remain focused in our next match to win.

    “We want to qualify and we will do everything to ensure we win,” George said.

    On his part, the Bafana Bafana Coach, Hugo Broos, said he was very proud of his players for holding the Super Eagles to a draw.

    Broos said his boys played good football and did not disappoint him and the country, stressing that the result was good for his team.

    He, however said that the Super Eagles was a big opponent in the group as they have good players.

    “For us, we are very happy with the outcome of the match. I can only be proud of my players, who played good football today.

    “I think the result is correct and good,” Broos said.

    The result means that the Super Eagles remain winless in three games in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign and are now in a precarious situation to qualify for the World Cup.

    The Super Eagles will face third placed Benin Republic on Monday in Cote D’Ivoire, as they seek to get their campaign back on track.

  • 2026 WCQ: Sports Minister charges Super Eagles ahead Bafana Bafana clash

    2026 WCQ: Sports Minister charges Super Eagles ahead Bafana Bafana clash

    Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan Enoh has charged the Super Eagles to defeat their South African counterparts on Friday to boost their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    The Super Eagles will take on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo in a matchday three of the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    The minister stressed the need for the Eagles to approach the tie as a make-or-break one, as victory will put the team back on track for qualification.

    “The FIFA World Cup is the biggest showpiece in football.We cannot afford to miss out on the World Cup again.

    “The disappointment of missing the last tournament, especially after the disappointing home match against the Black Stars, must drive us to ensure we qualify this time,” he said.

    Enoh urged all stakeholders, including players, coaches and support staff, to be fully committed to the qualification campaign.

    “All hands must be on deck to ensure the team qualifies for the World Cup.

    “I urge the players to get the job done in the first half of the game by scoring early goals, so they will  not be under pressure in the second half.

    “The upcoming match against South Africa is critical, the players need to put the AFCON glory behind them and concentrate fully on this task.

    “Early goals will be key to taking control of the game and ensuring a less pressured second half,” he said.

    The minister expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rise to the occasion and secure a much-needed victory.

    “We have the talent, the passion, and the support of millions of Nigerians. Let’s channel that into a winning performance and take a significant step towards World Cup qualification,” he added.

    The match will kick off at 8 p.m. on Friday, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

    Nigeria currently has two points from two games and sits third in their group of six teams.

  • Nigeria thrash Burkina Faso 6-0 in Abuja

    Nigeria thrash Burkina Faso 6-0 in Abuja

    The Nigeria’s Under 17 female football team, the Flamingos, on Saturday defeated  Burkina Faso 6-0 in the second leg of the qualify match of the 2024 FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup.

    Flamingos dominated  the match played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday.

    Harmony Chidira opened scoring in the 11th minute while Peace Effiong doubled the tally in the 34th minute

    The Burkinabe girls fought back but were unable to convert their  chances.

    On  resumption in the second half , Flamingos continued their dominance with Chidira scoring  the third goal in the 74th minute to deem the hopes of the visitors.

    Ramata Kareem registered her name on  the score sheet  by scoring the fourth goal in the 83th minute.

    Chidira scored  her third  in the 85th minute to increase the tally to five while Effiong  scored her second in the 88th minute to make it  six.

    Flamingos drew 1-1 against Burkina Faso in the first leg of the qualify match on May 11 in Bamako, Mali.

    Flamingos now have 7-1 aggregate score from the two matches, first and second leg matches.

    With the this victory over the Burkinabes,  the Flamingos will be  up for the final qualifying fixture, against the winner of the Senegal or Liberia fixture.

    The Senegalese led 3-1 in the first leg going into the second leg in Monrovia this weekend.

    The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 will take place in the Dominican Republic from Oct. 16 to Nov.3.

    This will be the first time that the Dominican Republic will host a FIFA tournament.

  • 2026 WC qualifier: Nigeria vs South Africa match official revealed

    2026 WC qualifier: Nigeria vs South Africa match official revealed

    Chadian official, Alhadi Mahamat will be in the centre when the Super Eagles host South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo in June.

    Mahamat, 38, has officiated in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup competitions

    He was also a referee at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year.

    Mahamat will work with Sudanese official Mohammed Abdallah (assistant referee 1), Abelmiro Dos Reis Monte Negro from Sao Tome & Principe (assistant referee 2), and compatriot Pousri Alfred (fourth official).

    The  encounter will commence at 8pm Nigeria time on June 7.

    Ahmed Abou Elela from Egypt will serve as the referee assessor, while Ghanaian Munkaila Adam will be the commissioner for the clash.

    CAF also appointed Ethiopian official Bamlak Weyesa, 43, as the referee for the encounter between the Super Eagles and the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Abidjan.

    The match will kick off at 4pm Cote d’ Ivoire time (5pm Nigeria) on June 10.

  • Reason for meeting with World Bank – Edun

    Reason for meeting with World Bank – Edun

    The West and Central Africa Ministers of Finance met with the World Bank Group in Abuja on Thursday.

    Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said that the objective of the meeting was geared towards attaining sustainable growth and development.

    Edun said that the meeting also discussed major projects financing through concessional funding for the West and Central African countries and the poor countries in general.

    “This is focusing on the International Development Association (IDA). We are here to discuss the funding of electricity access, social safety needs, digitisation, and the general issues that affect poor countries,” he said.

    The World Bank Managing Director of Operations, Ms Anna Bjerde, said that central to the engagement was the challenge of energy access.

    “Energy access is an excellent example of what can be accomplished. It is also an issue that African leaders have prioritised since 2000, and access to energy has more than doubled across Africa.

    “Despite significant investment and progress at the current pace, close to 600 million Africans are likely to remain without electricity by 2030, with two thirds of those living in countries currently classified as protected.

    “Together, we can do better to reach universal electricity access.

    “By the end of the decade, the rate of electricity access growth will be to triple, this is doable and the World Bank Group is ready to accompany you in the journey from ambition to reality,” she said.

    Bjerde said that one of the many lessons from COVID-19 was how important it was to have a strong tightening delivery system to help the most vulnerable countries build resilience to shocks.

    “Whether they be from pandemics combat or climate, we accelerated the use of established cash transfer systems to reach more than 50 million people, or 10 per cent of the total original population.

    “We also supported about 20 million farmers and pastoralists with urgent agricultural inputs.

    “The investments that you have all carried out to build robust delivery and targeting systems means that more can now be done to help the most vulnerable.

    “These examples show that transformation and impact are possible if countries decide to create the conditions to convert opportunities into transformation on the continent,” she said.

    Bjerde said that the role of World Bank was more important than ever.

    ”We exist in order to work with you hand-in-hand toward the best achievable results for the prosperity of your countries.

    “World Bank Group is a consistent and steadfast partner for countries in Africa,” she said.

  • Falconets beat Burundi 1-0 to qualify for World Cup

    Falconets beat Burundi 1-0 to qualify for World Cup

    Nigeria’s Under 20 football team, the Falconets, on Saturday defeated Burundi 1-0 to qualify for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

    The match played at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja saw both teams playing defensive game in the first half.

    In the quarter-hour, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu swung the ball into the visitors’ box from the wing, but Falconets leading scorer Janet Akekoromowei failed to convert the opportunity.

    It was Okwuchukwu’s turn to miss in the 34th minute, when she could not convert a pull-out by Opeyemi Ajakaye.

    The two teams fought hard but were unable to utilise their scoring chances in the first half.

    However, Ajakaye made hay with an assist by Akekoromowei in the 79th minute when she banged in the only goal of the match.

    What would have been the second goal for the Falconets scored by Ajakaye in the 90th minute was disallowed by the referee.

    The result put Nigeria through to the finals of the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup slated to hold in Colombia from Aug. 31 to Sept. 22

    Nigeria has been ever-present at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, since it was launched as an U-19 tournament in Canada 2002.

    Nigeria finished as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and reached the semi-finals in Japan in 2012.

    The 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be the 11th edition of the championship.

    It will be the third time Colombia will host a FIFA tournament, and the first FIFA women’s tournament to be hosted by the country.

  • South Africa edge All Blacks to win record fourth World Cup

    South Africa edge All Blacks to win record fourth World Cup

     South Africa produced a magnificent defensive display to edge 14-man New Zealand 12-11 in a compelling arm-wrestle of a Rugby World Cup final on Saturday.

    Victory for the Springboks meant they won the Webb Ellis Cup for a record fourth time.

    Only a single yellow card had been shown in nine previous World Cup finals.

    But the crackdown on foul play in the game led to four being handed out over 80 minutes of intense rugby played out in front of a crowd of 80,065 at the Stade de France.

    All Blacks skipper Sam Cane suffered the ignominy of being the first player to be sent off in a title-decider when his card for a high tackle was upgraded to a red after a bunker review just before halftime.

    Despite playing for three quarters of the match a man short, however, the All Blacks stuck to their ball-running game plan.

    They scored the game’s only try through Beauden Barrett to get within a point of the lead just before the hour mark.

    The Springboks, led by man of the match, Pieter-Steph du Toit, managed to hold firm under huge pressure over the final quarter.

    Handre Pollard’s four first-half penalties proved sufficient to add another title to those of 1995, 2007 and 2019.

    South Africa’s triumph kept the trophy in southern hemisphere hands for the fifth straight tournament and Siya Kolisi became only the second captain after All Black Richie McCaw to lift it twice.

    “There are no ways I can explain it. The All Blacks took us to the end, they took us to a dark place.

    “Credit to my boys too for the fight. I am just grateful we could pull it off.

    “There is so much going wrong in our country, and we are like the last line of defence and we can show that we can achieve so much together,” Kolisi said.

    All Blacks flanker, Shannon Frizell, was the first to be shown a yellow card as early as the third minute.

    This was for a clearout on Bongi Mbonambi that forced the Springboks hooker off the rain-sodden pitch with a leg injury.

    Flyhalf Pollard kicked the penalty and added another in the 12th minute as New Zealand waited nervously to hear whether Frizell’s yellow would be upgraded to a red.

    Frizell did come back on and helped New Zealand win a penalty that Richie Mo’unga slotted over to cut the deficit.
    But Pollard replied with a 46-metre effort to give South Africa a 9-6 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

    New Zealand were down to 14 men again just before the half-hour mark when Cane clattered head-first into Springboks centre, Jesse Kriel.

    But this time there was no reprieve and the All Blacks skipper sat out the rest of the game.

    Pollard kicked his fourth penalty after the red card was confirmed and even though Mo’unga replied with another three-pointer before the break, the Springboks went into halftime a man up and with a 12-6 lead.

    No team had ever recovered from a halftime deficit to win a World Cup final and the Springboks came out flying in the second half looking to drive home their advantage.

    However, Kolisi was sent to the sin bin in the 46th minute for a high tackle on Ardie Savea.

    New Zealand scrumhalf, Aaron Smith, thought he had scored the first try of the match eight minutes later after a brilliant break from Mo’unga.

    That score was called back for a knock-on earlier in the move but Beauden Barrett was awarded a try four minutes later.

    This was despite winger, Mark Telea, looking to have fumbled the ball forward in the tackle before the fullback touched down.

    It was the first try South Africa had conceded in four World Cup finals but Mo’unga missed the conversion from wide-out and the Springboks held on to the lead.

    Kolisi had by now returned to the fray after his card was not upgraded and South Africa brought their famed “bomb squad” off the bench to relieve fatigued forwards.

    South African winger, Cheslin Kolbe, was the fourth player to be yellow-carded seven minutes from time but New Zealand’s Jordie Barrett struck the subsequent 48-metre penalty attempt wide of the posts.

    New Zealand had also been hoping to win a fourth World Cup and coach Ian Foster thought the way the cards for Cane and Kolisi played out had been a decisive factor.

    “The game has got a few issues it’s got to sort out.

    “That’s not sour grapes. There were two similar incidents, one was a red, one was a yellow, and that’s the game,” he said. (

  • Football legend, Sir Bobby Charlton is dead

    Football legend, Sir Bobby Charlton is dead

    Sir Bobby Charlton, the Manchester United legend who was a key figure in England’s 1966 World Cup victory, has died at the age of 86.

    Charlton won 106 caps for England and scored 49 international goals – records for his country at the time.

    During a 17-year first-team career with United he won three league titles, a European Cup and an FA Cup.

    Charlton’s family said he “passed peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning”.

    In November 2020, it was announced Charlton had been diagnosed with dementia.

    He died surrounded by his family, who said in a statement they wished to “pass on their thanks to everyone who has contributed to his care and for the many people who have loved and supported him”.

    “We would request that the family’s privacy be respected at this time,” their statement added.

    United paid a fond tribute to Charlton, describing him as “one of the greatest and most beloved players in the history of our club”.

    “Sir Bobby was a hero to millions, not just in Manchester, or the United Kingdom, but wherever football is played around the world,” the club said.

    “He was admired as much for his sportsmanship and integrity as he was for his outstanding qualities as a footballer; Sir Bobby will always be remembered as a giant of the game.

    “His unparalleled record of achievement, character and service will be forever etched in the history of Manchester United and English football and his legacy will live on through the life-changing work of the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation.

    “The club’s heartfelt sympathies are with his wife Lady Norma, his daughters and grandchildren, and all who loved him.”

    His death leaves Sir Geoff Hurst – the striker who scored a hat-trick in England’s 4-2 win over West Germany in the 1966 final – as the sole surviving member of the triumphant team.

    Hurst posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Very sad news today. One of the true Greats Sir Bobby Charlton has passed away. We will never forget him and nor will all of football. A great colleague and friend, he will be sorely missed by all of the country beyond sport alone. Condolences to his family and friends.”

    Charlton’s older brother Jack, who died in July 2020, and their fellow World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, who passed away in October 2020, had also both been diagnosed with dementia.

    BBC

  • Kiss scandal: Spanish FA makes U-turn, says Rubiales must resign

    Kiss scandal: Spanish FA makes U-turn, says Rubiales must resign

    The Spanish football governing body has made a sharp U-turn, asking the Spanish FA president, Luis Rubiales to resign.

    This is following the brewing controversy over the Jenni Hermoso kiss scandal.

    This decision was reached in a meeting by the Spanish FA (RFEF) on Monday and made known  to the public via a statement.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that after the Spanish Women Football Team had beaten England in the final of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Rubiales was pictured grabbing Hermoso and kissing the player on the lips.

    The player said that her consent was not sought before the kiss.

    Rubiales has refused to step down despite being provisionally suspended by FIFA.

    Days after accusing Hermoso of lying about the incident, the FA appears to have made a U-turn.

    They now want the football chief to resign.

    They reached the decision after a meeting of the Commission of Presidents of Regional and Territorial Federations of the RFEF.

    “After the latest events and the unacceptable behaviours that have seriously damaged the image of Spanish football, the presidents request that Mr. Luis Rubiales immediately present his resignation as president of the RFEF,” the statement reads in part.