Sports
AFCON Final: Nigeria Vs Cote d’Ivoire – Preview, Team News, Kick-off Time

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will again face the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) but this time around in the final of the biggest football event on the continent.
Both sides have had an interesting run into the final of the competition and will be ready to leave it all out on the pitch as they seek to increase the AFCON titles in their trophy cabinet.
When both sides faced off in the group stage, Nigeria, via a spot kick converted by captain William Troost-Ekong. pipped the Cote D’Ivoire team 1-0 as they went on to secure a second-placed finish while Cote D’Ivoire made it out as one of the four best-third placed teams.
READ ALSO: AFCON: How Football Fans Were Robbed At Lagos Viewing Centre – Eyewitness
Nigeria have faced stronger sides coming into the final, and look a better team on paper to clinch the AFCON trophy, but Cote D’Ivoire themselves are no minnows especially with their renewed energy and optimism after finding themselves in the second round by a stroke of luck and now driven by the ambition to make it count in front of millions of their home fans.
For the Elephants, this is a revenge mission that comes with a better prize: the AFCON trophy, while for Nigeria: nothing will be more epic than winning the AFCON by defeating the hosts and neighbours: Cote D’Ivoire right on their own soil.
Nigeria vs Cote D’Ivoire – Team News
After initially being unable to travel with the team due to stomach problems, Victor Osimhen was declared fit to lead Nigeria against South Africa.
Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon, and Ola Aina were all one booking away from missing the final match, but none of them received a caution against South Africa.
READ ALSO: AFCON Final: Tips To Reduce Risk For Heart Attack Watching Tense Football Match
Regarding Cote D’Ivoire, Simon Adingra of Brighton and Haller are both back in shape and playing well.
In the interim, Oumar Diakite, Odilon Kossounou, and Serge Aurier will return from suspension for the Elephants in the final game.
Fae will have to make a crucial choice in the final third, where Haller, the team’s lucky charm, will face competition from former Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe and Max Gradel.
Head to head: Nigeria vs Cote D’Ivoire
Nigeria had previously lost four of their previous six meetings against Ivory Coast.
Nigeria wins: 9
Draws: 10
Ivory Coast wins: 9
Date, kick-off time and venue
Nigeria vs Ivory Coast is scheduled for a 9pm Nigerian time kick-off on Sunday February 11, 2024.
The final match will be played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.
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Sports
Ballon d’Or: Why Neymar Didn’t Win Award – Gerard

Barcelona legend, Gerard Piqué has said that Brazil legend, Neymar could have won the Ballon d’Or had he remained at the Catalan side a little longer.
Neymar left Barça for PSG in 2017, becoming the costliest player in the world.
Pique said that the move stopped the Brazilian from winning the Ballon d’Or.
READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: Why Neymar Didn’t Win Award – Gerard
He said that the superstar footballer actually deserved to win the France Football award in his career.
Speaking on the PodPah podcast, Pique, who was Neymar’s teammate for many years at Barcelona, said he tried to convince the Brazilian not to make the move but the former PSG star did not listen to him.
“I’m convinced he deserved a Ballon d’Or. I think going to PSG hurt him. We tried to convince him not to go, we did everything possible.
READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: Barcelona’s Flick Responds To Yamal’s Second-place Finish
“Everyone thought he was going to stay, even me, but it seemed that it was already decided. In the end, he had an incredible career,” he said.
The Brazilian was at Camp Nou until 2017 when he decided to move to PSG who were willing to activate his €222 million release clause.
He left for Al-Hilal in 2023 and returned to Brazil with Santos in 2025.
Sports
Lionel Messi Names 10 Best Young Players Currently

Argentina and Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi, has named the 10 players he sees as future stars.
The legendary attacker has players from Chelsea and Liverpool in his list.
As part of an Adidas campaign, the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner was asked to name the players he deems the next big stars in the game.
READ ALSO:Messi Ruled Out Of Miami’s MLS Clash With Orlando
The Inter Miami goal king partnering with Adidas Football for the ‘Messi+10: Season 2’ campaign named his 10 best rising stars.
He named Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, Kendry Paez, also of Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder, Brajan Gruda.
Others are Nico Paz (Como), Rodrigo Mora (Porto), Mika Godts (Ajax Amsterdam), and Kader Meite (Stade Rennes).
READ ALSO:I Don’t Hate Ronaldo, Messi Is A Better Player – Wayne Rooney
He named two female players, Barcelona’s Clara Serrajordi and Olympique Lyon’s Lily Yohannes.
Messi made a similar selection in 2024 to include Lamine Yamal, Antonio Nusa and Kenan Yildiz.
Sports
2026 World Cup: Why ‘England Can’t Win Trophy’ – Paul Scholes

Former England international, Paul Scholes, has said that the country stands no chance of winning the 2026 World Cup to be hosted in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
England became the first European country to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday after beating Latvia 5 goals to nothing.
Scholes said Thomas Tuchel’s team has ‘no chance’ of winning the tournament unless the German gaffer brings his ‘three best players’ back into the squad.
Tuchel will now be hoping to lead England to their first major trophy in men’s football since 1966.
READ ALSO:Nigeria Vs Lesotho: What Super Eagles Must Do To Qualify For 2026 World Cup
The former Chelsea manager was appointed as Sir Gareth Southgate’s successor last year.
England made it to two European Championship finals and two World Cup semi-finals under Southgate but failed to lift those trophies.
But former Manchester United midfielder, Scholes believes that England has ‘no chance’ unless Tuchel brings his ‘three best players’ back into the fold.
Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were left out of the team for their last matches.
READ ALSO:FULL LIST: 17 Nations Secure 2026 FIFA World Cup Spots
“I was a little bit surprised. Those three players, they have to be in his squad and they will be in his squad for the World Cup,” Scholes said on The Overlap.
“If you look at the squad now, you would say they have virtually no chance of winning the World Cup. Even with those three players it’s still a big ask but it gives you more of a chance of winning the cup.
“Jude Bellingham has missed a little bit of football but he’s fit now so I would have brought him back in.
“Thomas Tuchel hasn’t got many games left now until the World Cup actually starts, it’s only the November break and then the March one and then we’re there so we need to get these players playing.”
While announcing his squad for the last international break, Tuchel insisted he had ‘no problem’ with the omitted players, especially Bellingham.
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