Sports

We Begged For Money To Celebrate Christmas – Flamingos Players Lament

Published

3 years ago

January 10, 2023

Seventy-two days after beating Germany to finish third at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, players and officials of the Flamingos are yet to receive their allowances and match bonuses with some of the players telling The PUNCH they virtually went begging for money to celebrate the Yuletide.

It was learnt that while their camping allowances from February 6 to June 5, 2022, had been paid, the team’s bonuses for qualifying matches they played against Congo, Egypt and Ethiopia were yet to be paid.

The World Cup bonuses for the matches against Chile, New Zealand, U.S.A, and Germany had also not been paid to officials and players of the Flamingos.

One of the players, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimised, said she and her teammates begged for money to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

“The NFF is yet to pay us our match bonuses and some other benefits and these are what we need to survive,” the player told The PUNCH.

“Since we came back from India, we haven’t heard anything and we are already losing hope. Some of us are not as privileged as other kids and we had to beg for money to celebrate Christmas and New Year.”

Another Flamingos player added, “Christmas was hell for me because I was broke. This is because aside from the camp bonuses that were paid to us, we are yet to receive other bonuses and it is discouraging.

“Football is everything I know and it’s what I intend to use to take care of myself, but unfortunately we are still owed our match bonuses and other benefits from the qualifiers for the World Cup. I sent messages to relatives asking them to send me money to celebrate Christmas, but in reality, I should have been the one sending them money after playing at the World Cup.

“We learned that some individuals have redeemed their financial pledges to the team but we are yet to receive them from the NFF.

“President of the NFF, Ibrahim Gusau and Alhaji Balele both promised us $10,000 each for winning the third-place match, while the founder of Naija Ratels, Paul Edeh, also promised the team the sum of N3.1m. We hope the Presidency will help us because some of us are practically begging for money.”

The PUNCH also gathered that players of the Falconets, who crashed out from the the quarter-final stage of the 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, were also yet to be paid.

One of the outstanding players in the squad told The PUNCH, “Since I returned from the World Cup in August I haven’t visited my home state because nobody will believe a World Cup player can’t even buy socks for her friends.

“We played eight qualifiers to qualify for the World Cup and we were given just N50,000 each for qualification. At the World Cup proper, we were paid just $500 as camp allowance, while the NFF pledged to pay us our bonuses. As I speak with you, we haven’t heard from them. I couldn’t send anything home to my family for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“After we slept on bare floor at the Istanbul airport in Turkey, we were given just N40,000 each for transportation by road to our various states amid the insecurity in the country. They couldn’t even pay for our flights back home. And now they have refused to pay us our money.”

The General Secretary of the NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, declined to comment on the matter, and directed our correspondent to the federation’s Communications Director, Ademola Olajire.

“They have not been paid but they will be paid,” Olajire said when contacted. “I don’t work in the accounts (department) but I know that they will be paid whatever they are owed.”
PUNCH

Sports

Ballon d’Or 2025: Full List Of Winners

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

In a night of celebration and surprises at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned new champions in men’s and women’s football. PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé emerged as the men’s winner, capping off a stellar season that saw him lead his club to Champions League triumph.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí made history by securing the women’s award for the third consecutive year. Here’s the complete rundown of all the major awards from football’s most prestigious gala.

Men’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

The 28-year-old French star beat out fierce competition from Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Dembélé’s pivotal role in PSG’s European success, including key goals and assists, propelled him to the top. This marks his first Ballon d’Or and continues a trend where winners since 2013 have been 28 or older.

Top 5 Rankings:
1 Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

2 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Women’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Bonmatí became the first player to win three in a row, despite Barcelona’s loss in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to Arsenal and Spain’s defeat to England in the Euro 2025 final. Her standout performances as the best player in both the Euros and Champions League sealed the deal, edging out Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Barcelona’s Mariona Caldentey.

Other Major Awards
• Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player, Under 21): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
The 18-year-old wunderkind took home this award without contest, with speculation swirling about his potential for the senior Ballon d’Or in future years. Yamal’s speech humbly acknowledged the bigger prize ahead.

• Yashin Trophy (Donnaruma): Now in Manchester City, however the Italian shotstopper was pivotal during PSG’s quest for its first European glory.

• Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
Honoring their dominant 2024-25 campaign, including Champions League victory. The Paris crowd erupted as DJ Snake presented the award amid chants.

• Women’s Club of the Year: Arsenal
Recognized for their undefeated run in the Champions League and overall excellence.

• Coach of the Year: Luis Enrique

Highlights and reactions
The evening was a mix of glamour and minor gaffes—think awkward dance breaks and a quirky DJ presentation—but the focus remained on the stars. Dembélé’s win has sparked debates on X and beyond, with fans crediting his team’s support while others lament Salah’s perennial near-miss. “What does Mo Salah have to do?” one BBC commenter quipped.

Bonmatí’s third win cements her as a legend at just 27, though some voices argued for Russo’s dual Euros and Champions League heroics. Real Madrid’s boycott drama from 2024 was absent this year, with their stars like Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior attending gracefully despite missing the podium.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: 2025 Women’s Club Of The Year Emerge

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Arsenal Women have been named the 2025 Women’s Club of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.

The award comes after a historic season for the Gunners, who lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League, defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. Stina Blackstenius scored the decisive goal to hand Arsenal their second European crown.

Beyond their European success, the North London side also impressed domestically, finishin second in the Women’s Super League and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup..

The Women’s Club of the Year award recognises not only on-field success but also the club’s wider contribution to the growth of the women’s game.

Arsenal’s strong development structure, international recognition, and fan engagement were also factors behind their recognition.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned the Best Team of 2025 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

The French champions, who enjoyed a remarkable season both domestically and in Europe, were recognised for their consistency and dominance across competitions.

The French giants enjoyed an extraordinary 2024-25 season, capturing four major trophies: the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Champions League, and the Trophée des Champions.

They also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, underlining their quality and ability to compete with the very best across continents.

The Best Team award at the Ballon d’Or gala highlights the Parisians’ evolution from domestic dominance to genuine European and global contenders.