Sports

Rasheedat Ajibade Wins Atletico Madrid’s Player of the Season Award

Published

6 months ago

June 20, 2024

Chijioke Njoku

Super Falcons star Rasheedat Ajibade has been named Atletico Madrid Women’s Player of the Season for 2023/24.

The Spanish top-flight club announced this on their X handle.

Ajibade scored 10 goals and provided eight assists for Atletico Madrid in the recently concluded campaign.

The 24-year-old netted the crucial goal in the 1-0 win against Villarreal on the final day, securing qualification for next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League preliminary round.

Ajibade is expected to feature for the Super Falcons at this year’s Paris Olympic Games.

In the qualifiers against South Africa, she scored the only goal in the 1-0 aggregate win against the African champions.

Ajibade played for FC Robo from the 2013 Nigeria Women’s Premier League season until 2018. In 2014, she was listed among the best young talents in the league.

In September 2018, she won the Nigerian women’s football freestyle competition for the second consecutive time.

Despite FC Robo not finishing among the top teams in the 2017 league, Ajibade was voted Player of the Season after scoring eight goals to save her team from relegation. In May 2018, she was nominated as the best player in the 2017 Nigeria Women’s Premier League at the Nigeria Pitch Awards.

On January 1, 2021, Atletico Madrid announced Ajibade’s signing on a two-year deal. In January 2022, she extended her contract with the club for an additional three years until 2025.

Ajibade was part of the Super Falcons squad that won the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Ghana and featured in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

She also captained the Super Falcons for the first time in a 1-0 friendly victory over Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana in Vienna, Austria.

Sports

Kayode Bags 2024 Golden Boy Awards

Published

1 week ago

November 28, 2024

Admin

By Oluwamayowa Fakande

Fiorentina right-back Michael Kayode has been named the Best Young Italian Player in the 2024 Golden Boy Awards.

The announcement was made on the Golden Boy X handle on Wednesday, celebrating Kayode’s outstanding season with the Serie A club.

“Best Italian Player Under 21 is MICHAEL KAYODE! Congratulations to @acffiorentina full-back for his incredible season!” the tweet read.

Born in Bergamo, Italy, to Nigerian parents, Kayode began his youth career at Juventus, where he spent seven years before moving on in 2018.

The 20-year-old spent the 2020–21 season with Serie D club Gozzano, where he scored two goals and provided two assists in 34 appearances, helping the club secure promotion to Serie C.

In 2021, Kayode joined Fiorentina and quickly made a name for himself within their youth sector. He won both the Coppa Italia Primavera and the Supercoppa Italiana Primavera with the club.

Kayode made his Serie A debut for Fiorentina on August 19, 2023, in a 4–1 victory over Genoa.

By the end of the season, he had become a regular in the first team, with his performances drawing attention from top European clubs. He also played a significant role in Fiorentina’s run to the UEFA Conference League final.

Sports

Trabzonspor Interested in Super Eagles Defender Bruno Onyemaechi

Published

2 weeks ago

November 27, 2024

ADMIN

By Oluwamayowa Fakande

Turkish football club Trabzonspor has shown interest in signing Super Eagles defender Bruno Onyemaechi, with plans to add a new left-back to their squad in the upcoming January transfer window.

Trabzonspor has reportedly initiated talks with Portuguese side Boavista regarding a potential transfer for the 25-year-old full-back. Boavista is open to selling Onyemaechi for approximately €2 million.

Onyemaechi, who joined Boavista from CD Feirense on loan in 2022, had his move made permanent the following season. The defender has two years remaining on his contract with Boavista and has scored once in 11 league appearances for the club this season.

Sports

2024 WAFCON Draw: Nigeria Eyes Glory as Tunisia Awaits

Published

2 weeks ago

November 23, 2024

Admin

By Oluwamayowa Fakande

The draw for the 2024 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was held on Friday, November 22, 2024, at the Mohammed VI Technical Centre in Salé, Morocco, setting the stage for a thrilling tournament from July 5 to 26, 2025.

Nigeria, 11-time champions and perennial favorites, leads Group B alongside Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana.

The Super Falcons, aiming for their 12th title, are set to reinforce their dominance in African women’s football.

Tunisia enters the tournament on the back of impressive progress in recent years, while Algeria makes a much-anticipated return to the continental stage.

Botswana, an underdog, could disrupt expectations with a rising team eager to prove its worth.

In Group A, hosts Morocco will look to deliver both on and off the pitch. The Atlas Lionesses, who were finalists in the last edition, face formidable opponents in Zambia, Senegal, and the returning DR Congo.

Group C promises fireworks as defending champions South Africa clash with Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania in what is expected to be a fiercely contested group.

As anticipation builds, the 2024 WAFCON is shaping up to be a historic event, with fans eagerly awaiting to see who will dethrone South Africa or if the defending champions will retain their crown.

One thing is certain: African women’s football will take center stage in July 2025, delivering drama and unforgettable moments.