Category: Sports

France Football, the organizers of the Ballon d’Or award, has unveiled a revamped voting system for the prestigious award with 22 African countries making the cut.

Only countries ranked in the top 100 of the FIFA World Rankings will be eligible to vote.

Under the revised system, 22 African countries have secured eligibility to vote in the upcoming Ballon d’Or selection, reinforcing the continent’s rising status in world football.

These nations, currently within FIFA’s top 100, demonstrate Africa’s growing football prowess and global relevance.

Morocco
Senegal
Egypt
Algeria
Ivory Coast
Nigeria
Tunisia
Cameroon
Mali
South Africa
DR Congo
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Ghana
Gabon
Guinea
Angola
Zambia
Uganda
Equatorial Guinea
Benin Republic
Mozambique

 

 

Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to use the frustration of having to give champions Liverpool a guard of honour on Sunday as fuel to win the Premier League title next season after admitting they have gone “backwards” this term.

Arteta’s side are destined to finish the season without a major trophy after failing to keep pace with Liverpool and crashing out of the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.

The Gunners’ 2-1 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain ended their bid to win the tournament for the first time.

It was a painful loss for Arsenal, who created a host of chances in the early stages of the second leg but couldn’t find a way past inspired PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Still licking their wounds from the disappointment in Paris, Arsenal head to Anfield this weekend for the uncomfortable task of watching to Liverpool’s ongoing title celebrations.

Arne Slot’s men wrapped up the title two weeks ago, leaving second-placed Arsenal trailing in their wake.

After finishing as runners-up to Manchester City for the previous two seasons, the north Londoners remain with a title since 2004.

“Something has to drive you, motivate you, and pain for this is a good one to use, when you really want to do something. It’s the right thing to do, usually as a motivation for next season,” Arteta said of Arsenal’s guard of honour for the champions.

“They’ve been the best team, they’ve been the most consistent, and what Arne and the coaching staff have done has been fascinating, it’s been really good.

“They fully deserve it, and that’s the sport. If somebody is better, you have to accept it and try to reach that level.”

Arteta attracted criticism in some quarters for claiming Arsenal were the best team in the Champions League this season despite their last four exit.

The Spaniard stood by his claim days later, saying: “100 percent. I’m watching the impact, I’m watching all the stats because they were the best stats and the best goal difference in the semi-final, so it’s very clear.

“When you look at the important stats that normally give you the best platform to win football matches, it’s crystal clear who was better.”

Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker in the January transfer window was a major blow in a season marred by long injury absences for Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka at various stages.

“In January it was clear or not? I made a very clear statement, and the statement continues the same. I want the best team, the best players. If we have three goalscorers over 25, bring them in, we’re going to be a much better team, yes,” Arteta said.

Arteta conceded Arsenal have been unable to match his expectations this season.

But he is adamant they have the quality to end the club’s five-year trophy drought.

“In the Premier League we’ve done a step backwards. With the points that we have created, it’s clear that we haven’t done as good as last season, that’s obvious,” he said.

“but with the amount of points that we have generated in the last few seasons, we could have two Premier Leagues.

“So we know how close. We are there, we are providing the numbers that win you titles. We have to be a little bit luckier, but still do better to make sure that nobody has a season better than you.”

 

Football pundit, Mark Goldbridge has disagreed with Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand for backing Lamine Yamal to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Ferdinand had backed Yamal to win this year’s Ballon d’Or.

The Englishman spoke following Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final first leg 3-3 draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday.

However, Goldbridge disagreed with Ferdinand, insisting that the likes of Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele deserved the Ballon d’Or this year ahead of Yamal.

According to him, both players have been better than the Spain winger this term.

Taking to X, Goldbridge said: “Yamal is sensational but the mainstream coverage of him and handing him the Ballon d’Or is so insulting.

“[Barca teammate] Raphinha is having an immense season and so is [Ousmane] Dembele at PSG. Less Rio sensationalism and more realism in the analysis please.”

in other news, Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, has confirmed his team will give champions Liverpool a guard of honour on Sunday.

For half the season, the Blues were Liverpool’s closest challengers at the top.

However, losses to Fulham and Ipswich over Christmas threw Maresca’s men off-course.

The Italian has now explained he wants his players to absorb the meaning of their gesture and think: “One day I would like to be there.”

Chelsea welcome Arne Slot’s team still in the race for Champions League places, but Maresca wants to close the gap to the Reds.

On the guard of honour, Maresca said: “It’s tradition. We have to do that, and we are going to do that.

“They won the Premier League, so they deserve it.

“In terms of the gap between us and Liverpool, it is there, you can see this clearly. My feeling is we are [moving] in the right direction and hopefully this gap can be smaller and smaller.”

 

In a heartwarming display of friendship, the Super Eagles squad gathered on Monday night to celebrate Ademola Lookman’s triumph as the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year.

The occasion was marked by a special dinner at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene where Lookman’s teammates presented him with a cake for the achievement.

The 27-year-old Atalanta winger earned the coveted award during a prestigious ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, last December, solidifying his place as one of Africa’s brightest football stars.

Lookman’s victory comes a year after his fellow Nigerian, Victor Osimhen, took home the same honour in 2023.

The Galatasaray striker, who has long been a close friend and rival to Lookman on the international stage, expressed pride and admiration for his teammate.

He said: “First of all, we all know Lookman deserved this, he’s been amazing for both his club and also for the Super Eagles.

“It’s a great privilege that this prestigious award came to Nigeria and also went to the most deserving person,” Osimhen said.

He added: “I’m proud of you, we speak in private a lot of times and I told you how proud I am that you decided to play for the Super Eagles and this, your hard work and dedication for us, for your club, shows that you deserve to be the African best.”

 

The countdown to Nigeria’s crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier against Rwanda has begun with key players making their way to the team’s camp in Kigali.

Super striker Victor Osimhen with teammates Bruno Onyemaechi, Papa Daniel Mustapha, and Kayode Bankole, were the first to touch down in Rwanda, marking the start of the Super Eagles’ preparations for Friday’s crucial match.

In a video shared via the team’s official X handle, on Monday, March 17, the players were seen arriving at the Kigali International Airport, ready to gear up for the intense battle ahead.

The squad was warmly welcomed by head coach Eric Chelle and several members of the team’s staff.

Sharing the video, the Super Eagles captioned: “Early arrival of Super Eagles officials and four players – Victor Osimhen, Bruno Onyemaechi, Papa Daniel Mustapha and Kayode Bankole.”

 

 

A new study from Malawi has sparked debate by proposing a possible connection between football fandom and criminal behavior.

The study, titled “Jerseys of Crime: A Sociological Analysis of Football Fan Affiliation and Thievery in Malawi,” conducted by sociologist John Hatman, investigates a recurring trend where individuals detained for theft and similar offenses are frequently seen sporting football jerseys, most notably those of Arsenal.

Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya’s former Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, amplified the study’s visibility by posting a snippet online, triggering spirited exchanges among football supporters and commentators.

While the study notes that jerseys from various teams appear in criminal cases, it probes whether Arsenal fans are disproportionately represented in these incidents or if the pattern spans multiple fan groups.

“This research, while acknowledging cases tied to other teams’ jerseys, examines the broader relationship between football fandom and criminal tendencies.

Blending insights from sociology, criminology, and psychology, we seek to uncover patterns, driving factors, and whether this is a phenomenon specific to Arsenal supporters or reflective of a larger trend,” the study’s abstract explains.

In a related incident last year in Uganda, police apprehended eight Arsenal fans for staging an unsanctioned victory parade in Jinja following their team’s thrilling 3-2 triumph over Manchester United.

The festivities, which snarled traffic for almost two hours, led to a police response. Seven of the group were later freed with cautions, but one fan, Dennis Waahe, stayed in custody due to a prior warrant linked to an alleged UGX 180 million embezzlement from Iganga district six months earlier.

Officials emphasized that Waahe’s detention was unrelated to his team loyalty, rejecting suggestions that his Arsenal fandom played a role in his arrest.

Meanwhile, Felix Bagiire, a prominent Arsenal fan organizer, promised supporters that should Arsenal clinch the Premier League title, they would work with authorities to ensure celebrations remain lawful.

Murkomen’s highlighting of the study has since sparked lively discourse, with football fans and scholars debating whether the apparent link between Arsenal jerseys and crime reflects a meaningful societal pattern or is simply a quirky fluke.

Arsenal Football Club, founded in 1886 as Dial Square by workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, London, is one of England’s most storied teams.

Renamed Royal Arsenal and later Woolwich Arsenal, the club moved to Highbury in 1913, adopting its current name, Arsenal FC. Known for its rich history, Arsenal became a dominant force in English football, winning its first league title in 1930-31 under legendary manager Herbert Chapman.

The club’s success continued with 13 Premier League titles and 14 FA Cups, including an unbeaten 2003-04 season, earning the nickname “The Invincibles.”
Arsenal fans, affectionately called “Gooners,” are a passionate global community.

The term’s origins are debated, but it likely stems from the club’s nickname, “The Gunners,” tied to its armory roots. Highbury’s iconic atmosphere fostered a loyal fanbase, which transitioned to the Emirates Stadium in 2006.

Gunners are known for their dedication, filling stadiums and online forums with chants like “Sweet Caroline” and debates over players like Thierry Henry, the club’s all-time top scorer.

From North London rivalries with Tottenham to international support, Arsenal’s history and its fans’ fervor make it a Premier League titan, consistently trending in football news and searches.

 

 

 

Manchester United’s pursuit of a new number nine has received a huge boost with reports stating a move for Victor Osimhen is close to being completed.

Ruben Amorim’s men have struggled in front of goal this season, and that continued in recent weeks with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to find the back of the net. The strikers have scored just 12 goals between them this term, with Alejandro Garnacho, Amad and Bruno Fernandes all outscoring them.

The Reds considered a move for a new number nine in the January transfer window with Mathys Tel linked towards the end. However, the Bayern Munich ace instead moved to Tottenham Hotspur.

Amorim’s side are currently 15th in the Premier League table, and one eye is expected to be on the summer window already. An overhaul of the playing squad is expected, and adding reinforcements in attack is set to be the priority.

Fortunately, there could be some good news for United fans with reports in Nigeria suggesting a move for Osimhen is all but agreed. According to journalist Anthony Nlebem of Business Day, the move is ’95 percent complete’.

The report states that United are set to pay the £62million release clause in his contract at Napoli at the end of his loan with Galatasaray. Napoli had been linked with Alejandro Garnacho in January, but the report from Osimhen’s home nation states that no first-team players will be included in the deal.

It has been widely claimed that Napoli are expected to sell Osimhen permanently in the summer with the 26-year-old’s contract in Naples expiring in 2026.

Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly considering stepping down from his role amid a heated public dispute with star forward Ademola Lookman, Soccernet.ng reports.

The rift between the pair, exacerbated by Atalanta’s Champions League elimination, has cast serious doubts over their futures in Bergamo.

The fallout has left the club in a precarious position, with Lookman likely to depart this summer and Napoli and Juventus closely monitoring his situation.

Barely a year after Gasperini and Lookman helped Atalanta secure the club’s first-ever major European trophy by winning the Europa League, both now appear set to leave under acrimonious circumstances.

The breaking point came in the aftermath of Atalanta’s painful Champions League exit against Club Brugge.

Lookman’s missed penalty proved costly, and Gasperini did not hold back in his post-match criticism, calling the Nigerian winger “one of the worst penalty takers” he had ever seen. Lookman hit back the next day, accusing Gasperini of being “disrespectful.”

Gasperini has attracted rebuke from far and near for his outburst with Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero and former Nigeria international Duke Udi knocking the veteran tactician for his crude comments.

The heat may have been too much for Gasperini as, according to journalist Gerardo Fasano of Ruleta Sport via Tutto Atalanta, the controversy nearly prompted the former Inter Milan coach to resign on the morning of February 19.

It was reported that only the intervention of Atalanta’s management, led by the Percassi family, convinced him to stay on until the end of the season.

Atalanta’s hierarchy acted swiftly to mediate the situation, urging Gasperini to remain at the helm for the remainder of the campaign. Their message was clear: maintain focus and push for a top-four Serie A finish before any major decisions are made in June.

Despite their European disappointment, Atalanta remain in contention for a Champions League spot.

However, while the ongoing internal tensions could disrupt Atalanta’s bid for a strong finish to the season, Gasperini has agreed to see out the campaign.

In the midst of the crisis, Atalanta appear to be preparing for life after Gasperini. Reports suggest that the club has initiated contact with former Napoli and Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri as a potential successor.

Sarri, who is currently without a club after his Lazio exit, is renowned for his attacking style of play—one that could align well with Atalanta’s philosophy under Gasperini. His arrival would represent a significant managerial coup for the Bergamo-based side.

While Atalanta contemplate a managerial change, Lookman could also be on his way out of the club in the summer.

The Nigerian forward nearly joined French giants PSG in August but he could be set to remain in Italy with Juventus and Napoli reportedly emerging as frontrunners for his signature.

Atalanta reportedly valued Lookman, who is also on the washlist of Arsenal and Liverpool, at €60 million during the last transfer window, and a similar fee could be demanded this summer.

 

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has weighed in on the GOAT debate about who the better player is between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Casemiro shared a dressing room with Ronaldo at both Real Madrid and United.

However, it appears the Brazilian considers Lionel Messi the superior player.

When asked by Diario AS about the two footballers, Casemiro praised Messi’s qualities that made him great.

“I could never stop him on my own,” he said.

“It was impossible. I needed help from Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić, Sergio Ramos, but just me? Impossible. He was unstoppable.”

However, Casemiro insisted that football may never see another duo like Messi and Ronaldo.

He added: “It’s difficult to explain.

“Messi was one of the best players in history, but we had another player—Cristiano Ronaldo. What they both did is unrepeatable. In my generation, the best were Cristiano and Messi. They did a lot for football and changed it.”