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Mbappe, Alonso, Arteta, Others Win At Globe Soccer Awards [See Full List]

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France and PSG forward, Kylian Mbappe, has clinched the Best Player at the KAFD Globe Soccer Awards Europe Edition 2024 held on Tuesday.

Stars and managers of the round leather game gathered at the Hotel Cala di Volpe in Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, Italy to grace the inaugural event dedicated to European football.

The awards which started in Dubai 14 years ago recognises European football excellence, both on and off the field.

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Among other winners were Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso with the Best Coach and Lamine Yamal with the Emerging Player award.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta won Premier League Best Coach after his side finished second behind Manchester City at the end of this season.

Industry representatives and players past and present attended the event, including FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, three-time Champions League winner Fernando Morientes, former England manager Fabio Capello and the coach of the current Italian national side, Luciano Spalletti.

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Mbappe, whose contract with his French club expires at the end of June, took to the stage amid huge commendation to collect the KAFD Best Player award.

“It’s an honor to be here — I see some great players, managers, legends. It’s always great to see everybody recognize your game. I want to thank my club; I know my president is here,” Mbappe said.

“It’s always a pleasure to be a part of this event. It is part of my journey. I want to work hard to keep my name in the history of football. There is a lot still to do and I am far away from what I want to achieve, but I will start this summer with the Euros.”

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The star’s moment in the spotlight came minutes after Alonso, who led his Leverkusen side to an undefeated domestic double and the final of the Europa League, received Best Coach from Pedro Proenca, president of Liga Portugal.

It has been a real pleasure to see old colleagues and friends here tonight in this beautiful setting,” said Alonso.

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“I’m proud to receive this award, not just for myself but for all Bayer Leverkusen. What we have lived this year has been phenomenal, a fantastic journey. It felt special since the beginning, all the connections we created with the fans, the players, the staff. We’ve been able to have a dream season.”

The 16-year-old Yamal claimed the Emerging Player award for scoring five goals and giving eight assists in 37 La Liga appearances this season.

Xavier Puig, the Barcelona director responsible for women’s football, collected the Best Women’s Club award on behalf of FC Barcelona Femeni. Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano received Best Men’s Club on behalf of the UK Premier League champions.

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All five winners — Mbappe, Alonso, Yamal, FC Barcelona and Manchester City — also received a gold “Road to Dubai” medals from His Excellency Saeed Hareb, secretary general of Dubai Sports Council, confirming their qualification for the year-ending Dubai Globe Soccer Awards which will take place this winter in the UAE.

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Below are the full list of awards:
KAFD Globe Soccer Awards Europe Edition 2024 winners:

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Best Player: Kylian Mbappe (PSG and France)

Best Coach: Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen)

Emerging Player: Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona and Spain)

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Best Men’s Club: Manchester City

Best Women’s Club: FC Barcelona

Best Coach Premier League: Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)

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Revelation Award: Atalanta

Football Leadership Award: Nasser Al-Khelaifi (PSG and European Clubs Association)

Comeback Award: Cesc Fàbregas (Como)

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Special Career Award: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Special Career Award: Gigi Riva

Coach Career Award: Luciano Spalletti

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Player Career Award: Gianluigi Buffon

Sportsmanship Award: Gianluca Pessotto

Official La Liga Awards 2024:

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La Liga EA SPORTS Champion: Real Madrid

Best U23 Player: Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona)

Best Coach: Michel (Girona)

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READ ALSO: Arteta Speaks On Arsenal Signing Mbappe From PSG

Best Goal: Jesus Areso (Osasuna)

Best Player: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

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Team of the Season: Unai Simon, Daniel Carvajal, Ronald Araujo, Antonio Rudiger, Miguel Gutierrez; Aleix Garcia, İlkay Gundogan, Federico Valverde, Isco, Jude Bellingham, Savio, Griezmann, Robert Lewandowski, Artem Dovbyk and Vini Jr.

 

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Journalists Assaulted As EDSIEC Defies Court Order, Conducts LG By-election

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Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) on Saturday conducted local government bye-election despite court restraining order.

The bye-election was an instance of a resolution by the Edo State House of Assembly, which cited the need to fill alleged 59 vacant councillorship seats, arising from the local government crisis in the early months of the current administration.

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filed an ex-parte motion challenging the legality of the planned election.

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The PDP in the suit marked: B/247M/2025, among others, sought permission to initiate judicial review proceedings against EDSIEC’s decision, arguing that the tenures of the affected councillors remain valid until September 2026.

The PDP prayers were granted, and Justice Mary E. Itsueli, sitting as a vacation judge, issued a restraining order on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.

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But EDSIEC defied the court order and went ahead with the by-election across 59 wards, in 15 local government areas of the state.

The election was, however, boycotted by other political parties making it an affairs of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

READ ALSO:Court Restrains EDSIEC, Edo Govt From Conducting LG By-elections

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Meanwhile, journalists who went out to cover the election were assaulted by political thugs at Asoro Primary School in Oredo Ward 9.

The journalists were carrying out interviews and taking pictures when a man who claimed to be an agent of the APC confronted them (journalists), accused them of working for the PDP, and thereafter, with assistance from other thugs, assaulted the journalists.

The journalists phones and jotters were seized by the thugs who deleted all recorded voices, images, and videos from the devices before returning them, after long harassment, intimidation.

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EPL: Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton At Amex In 2-2 Draw

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Tottenham Hotspur battled from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion in a dramatic Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

The Seagulls made a flying start when Yankuba Minteh struck in the 8th minute to put the home side ahead. His early goal set the tone for Brighton, who dominated possession and kept Spurs on the back foot.

Their pressure paid off again in the 31st minute as Swedish midfielder Yasin Ayari doubled the lead with a composed finish, sending the home fans into wild celebrations.

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Tottenham, however, refused to be blown away. Brazilian forward Richarlison pulled one back in the 43rd minute, latching on to a precise pass before beating the goalkeeper to cut Brighton’s lead in half just before the break.

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The second half was tightly contested, with Brighton looking to restore their cushion and Spurs pressing for an equaliser. Their persistence eventually paid off in the 82nd minute when Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke put the ball into his own net under pressure, gifting Tottenham the leveller.

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Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but the points were shared after an intense 90 minutes on the south coast.

The result means Brighton maintain their strong home form but will be disappointed after letting a two-goal advantage slip, while Spurs will see the comeback as a display of resilience on the road.

The draw leaves Tottenham five points adrift of the Premier League leaders, while Brighton remains in mid-table, reflecting their inconsistent start to the season.

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148 Nigerian Migrants Return From Sudan

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The National Emergency Management Agency, Kano Operations Office, has received 148 Nigerian migrant returnees from Sudan as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate the safe return of Nigerians abroad.

According to a statement released on Saturday by NEMA, the returnees arrived at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport aboard a chartered flight operated by Tarco Aviation at approximately 14:30 hours on Friday.

They included 25 men, 27 women, 39 male children, and 57 female children.

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The statement by NEMA explained that upon arrival, “the returnees were transported to the Chila Hotel for profiling and documentation by relevant stakeholders.”

The statement added that the returnees were not enrolled in any reintegration programme.

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“The returnees were not enrolled in any reintegration programme and were discharged and giving them transport fare by providing them with ATM card for withdrawals shortly after the completion of documentation and profiling,” NEMA said.

The statement described the exercise as “well-coordinated and successfully executed”.

The return of these migrants comes amid ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has displaced millions and strained the country’s infrastructure.

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The Federal Government, in collaboration with NEMA and international partners, continues to monitor the situation and provide assistance to citizens affected by the crisis in Sudan.

Furthermore, NEMA has been collaborating with international organizations to address the challenges faced by Nigerian migrants abroad.

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The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has been instrumental in rescuing Nigerian girls from traffickers’ camps in Libya.

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