Sports

File photo of Portugal captain, Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo will make history this summer after being included in Portugal’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, putting him on course to appear at the tournament for a sixth time. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, already holds the men’s record for international caps and goals and now stands alone at the summit of World Cup longevity. Only five players have previously reached five editions, including his long-time rival Lionel Messi, who is also set for a sixth appearance after guiding Argentina to glory in Qatar four years ago. Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has been playing club football with Al-Nassr since January 2023 and remains eligible for Portugal’s group matches after avoiding suspension following his red card in a qualifi...

Oluwabukola Pereira, a 30-year-old Nigerian athlete and graduate student, was shot d£ad in the United States just days before her scheduled MBA graduation. Pereira was k!lled on Friday May 8, during a robbery at Arise Auto Center in Lockland, Ohio, where she worked. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, although authorities are yet to officially confirm a motive for the shooting. A worker at the auto shop, Don Simpson, told local television station Marcella Porter TV that Pereira tried to chase a suspect who allegedly fled with about $1,500 before she was shot. “She was loyal, good and brave,” Mr Simpson said. “She came to this country trying to build a good life.” Originally from Nigeria, Pereira was due to graduate from Xavier Univer...

Former Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has been announced as one of the African football legends to conduct the qualification draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The Confederation of African Football confirmed on Tuesday that the defender will be one of the draw assistants alongside Max-Alain Gradel, Essam El Hadary, and Trésor Mputu. African legends on draw duty,” CAF wrote. “Meet tomorrow’s AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Draw assistants: Max-Alain Gradel, William Troost-Ekong, Essam El Hadary, and Trésor Mputu.” The draw will determine Nigeria’s qualification path for the 2027 AFCON tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The draw, which will determine Nigeria’s qualification pathway for the tournament co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania an...

Enzo Maresca has reportedly signed a three-year deal to replace outgoing Man City manager Pep Guardiola, after it was revealed that the legendary head coach will be leaving the Etihad at the end of the season. Speculation around Guardiola's departure date has been rife as the season draws to a close, despite the Catalan denying it, as he has one year left on his contract. The report also shared that Maresca, Guardiola's former assistant, was a front-runner for the vacant spot in the dugout, with Fabrizio Romano confirming on Tuesday morning that the ex-Chelsea manager will be taking over. The Italian head coach has been out of work since his mutual departure from Stamford Bridge under strained circumstances on January 1. The 46-year-old served as Guardiola's assistant between 2...

Shukurat Oladipo has been named the Best Defender of the Season in Italy’s Serie A Femminile following an outstanding campaign with AS Roma Women. The 21-year-old Nigerian defender received the award during a gala ceremony held on Monday night after impressing throughout the season with her performances at the heart of Roma’s defence. Oladipo was also included in the league’s Team of the Season after helping Roma secure their third league title in four years. The Nigeria women's national football team star joined Roma in February 2025 from Robo Queens and quickly established herself as one of the club’s most dependable players. She made 18 league appearances during the campaign as Roma finished the season with one of the strongest defensive records in the division and suffered just o...

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will face Madagascar, Tanzania, and Guinea-Bissau in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, DAILY POST reports. The draw ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association, EFA, Cairo on Tuesday. Éric Chelle’s side was among the seeded teams, along with some of the continent’s top guns. Nigeria will be overwhelming favourites to finish in first position in the group. The first two teams in the group will qualify for the AFCON 2027 finals. The qualifiers will be played across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027. Match days one and two are scheduled for 21 September and 6th October 2026, while the third and fourth rounds of fixtures will take place from 9...

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that he will be fully supporting AFC Bournemouth when they face Manchester City on Tuesday night as the Premier League title race reaches a dramatic stage. The Gunners moved a step closer to ending their 22-year wait for the league title after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley on Monday evening. A first-half header from Kai Havertz proved enough to seal the win in a tense encounter that sent Arsenal five points clear at the top of the table. A victory for Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium would keep the title race alive, while any dropped points would hand Arsenal the Premier League crown before the final round of fixtures. Speaking ahead of the clash, Arteta openly admitted he would be cheering for Bournemouth. “...

Dani Carvajal will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, bringing an end to a highly successful spell with the club that saw him become one of the most decorated players in its history. The Spanish giants confirmed the defender’s departure in a statement released on Monday, May 18. “Real Madrid wishes to express its gratitude and affection to one of the greatest legends of our club and world football,” the club said. Carvajal, 34, made 450 appearances for Real Madrid and won 27 trophies during his time at the Santiago Bernabéu, including six UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga crowns. The defender progressed through Real Madrid’s La Fábrica youth academy before joining Bayer Leverkusen in 2012. Real Madrid re-signed him the following year, and he went on to establish ...

Chelsea have reportedly reached a full agreement to appoint Xabi Alonso as the club’s next manager. According to reports from The Athletic, Alonso agreed to take over at Stamford Bridge after holding discussions during a recent visit to London earlier this month. The report added that both parties are finalising a four-year contract, with an official announcement expected in the coming days. Former AFC Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola had also been considered for the position before Chelsea intensified talks with Alonso. The 44-year-old manager has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January, despite still having time left on his three-year deal. Before his stint at Madrid, Alonso enjoyed a historic spell with Bayer Leverkusen, guiding the club to their first-ever Bu...